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THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

PRESENTED  BY 

PROF.  CHARLES  A.  KOFOID  AND 

MRS.  PRUDENCE  W.  KOFOID 


^i^  ^^s^^./--*^ 


THE 


BEAR-WORSHIPPERS 

OF    YEZO 

AND    TJIE   ISLAND   OF  KAKAFU70   (SAGHALIN) 


THE   ADVENTURES  OF  THE  JI:WETT   FAMILY 
AND  THEHl  FRIEND  OTO  NAMBO    . 


BY 

EDWARD    GREEY 

AUTHOR    OF    "the    GOLDEN    LOTUS,"    "YOUNG   AJMERICANS    IN   JAPAN,"     "THE   WONDERFUL   CITY 

OF    TOKIO,"    ETC.,    AND   ONE   OF   THE    TRANSLATORS   OF   THE  JAPANESE 

ROMANCE    "the    LOYAL    RONINS" 


ONE   HUNDRED   AND    EIGHTY    ILLUSTRATIONS    BY   RINZO   AND   BY  ICHISKE    HAMADA 

COVER  DESIGNED  AND  DRAWN  BY  THE  AUTHOR 


BOSTON 
LEE    AND    SHEPARD,    PUBLISHERS 

NEW    YORK 

CHARLES    T.    DILLINGHAM 

1884 


Copyright,  1883, 
By  lee  and  SHEPARD. 


All  rights  reserved. 


ZD5S3. 
S-7 


PREFACE. 


IN  "  Young  Americans  in  Japan,"  I  gave  some  account  of  the 
southern  parts  of  the  empire ;  and,  in  "  The  Wonderful  City  of 
Tokio,"  described  the  various  sights,  and  the  arts  and  manufactures, 
for  which  the  capital  is  famous. 

The  present  volume,  the  last  of  the  series,  is  devoted  to  the 
manners  and  customs  of  the  bear-worshippers  of  Yezo,  and  of 
the  five  tribes  inhabiting  Karafuto  (Saghalin).  When  I  first  visited 
the  latter  island,  in  1853,  it  was  a  portion  of  the  Empire  of  Japan; 
but  in  1875  it  was  ceded  to  Russia,  in  exchange-  for  the  Chishima 
(Kurile)  Islands.  I  spent  nearly  a  year  cruising  in  the  northern 
waters,  and  during  that  time  became  well  acquainted  with  the  people 
of  Karafuto  and  Yezo  ;  on  one  occasion  travelling  with  a  boat's  crew 
from  Soya  to  Hakodate,  and  being  the  guest  of  the  fierce-visaged 
but  gentle  savages. 

Since  then  Russia  has  made  a  penal  settlement  of  Karafuto,  and 
two-thirds  of  the  natives  have  nominally  become  Christians. 

When  I  was  in  Japan,  last  summer,  I  made  the  acquaintance  of 
His  Excellency  Kunemichi  Kitagaki,  the  governor  of  Saikio  (Kioto), 
who  was  for  some  years  an  official  in  the  Kaitakushi  (Department 
of  Development)  of  the  Hokkaido  (North  Sea  Circuit).  From  him 
I  learned  many  interesting  particulars  relating  to  the  progress  made 
by  the  Ainos  in  agriculture,  etc.  ;  and  I  have  his  authority  for  stating 
that  the  natives  who  left  Karafuto  when  the  island  was  ceded  to 
Russia,  and  who  have  settled  in  Sapporo,  were  not  compelled  to  quit 
their  native  land,  but  elected  to  do  so  rather  than  change  their 
nationality. 

V 

in;o/j  cavry 


iv!348e<' 


VI 


PREFACE. 


This  book  was  written  to  give  some  information  concerning  "a 
quaint  people  that  are  almost  unknown  to  my  countrymen,  and  who, 
like    our   Indians,   are    rapidly    disappearing    from    the    face    of    the 


earth. 


S, 


20  East  17TH  Street,  New  York,  1883. 


CONTENTS. 


Chapter.  Page. 

I.  Bound  for  the  Far  North i 

II.  Hakodate 21 

III.  Among  the  Ainos 48 

IV.  Kawanishi 65 

V.  In  the  Mountains  of  Yezo 84 

VI.  An  Aino  Home 104 

VII.  Bear-hunting 122 

VIII.  Iyomante 133 

IX.  In  the  Wilds  of  Yezo 155 

X.  Karafuto  {Saghalin) 175 

XI.  Among  the  Samelenko 193 

XII.  Moving  up  the  Western  Coast  of  Karafuto      .  214 

XIII.  With  the  Colletske 235 

XIV.  Among  the  Oroko 254 

XV.  Adieu  to  Karafuto 272 

XVI.  Down  the  Eastern  Coast  of  Yezo        .        .        .  283 

XVII.  Homeward  Bound 297 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Page. 
AiNOS  WORSHIPPING  THE  BEAR,  Frontispiece. 
A  Street  in  Hakodate   .    .    .     Facing  i 
Tatszgoro    and     Mankichi     wres- 
tling      2 

The  Yashiki  Policeman 4 

Japanese  Infantry  Soldier      ...  5 

The  Kirin 6 

Fishing  for  Turbot 7 

Fishing  by  Torchlight 9 

Japanese  Cavalry  Soldier  ....  10 

A  Street  in  Sendai 11 

Fishing  for  Awabi 13 

Preparing  Awabi  for  the  Market.  15 

Tai-fishing 17 

Shell-fish  Culling 19 

Benten-Shima  and  Obi-Shima  ...  22 

Hakodate  from  the  Sea    ...    .  25 

Aino  rescuing  Ronin 27 

Japanese  Policem.\n  and  Aino  .    .  28 

Ainos 30 

Inaho 31 

Goddess  and  her  Faithful  Attend- 
ant      33 

Performer  on  the  Conch-shell  .    .  35 

Japanese  Fencing 36 

Yezo  Crow 37 

Driving  Sawara 38 

Fishing  for  Buri 40 

Seining  Blackfish 42 

Mombets 43 

Steaming  Katsu 45 

NiKAMORI 46 

Aino  Hunting 47 

Welcoming  a  Chief 49 

Sleeping  Seal 51 

Spearing  a  Seal 52 

Menhaden-fishing 53 

"Please  give  two  Shews"  ....  54 


Page. 

"Our  Interpreter" 55 

Tattooing  on  Aino  Woman's  Hand,  56 

Aino  Hut 59 

Ainos  entertaining  Japanese  Offi- 
cials    60 

Mosh.vkina 61 

Ka 62 

Playing  the  Ka 62 

Seal    prepared     for    Transporta- 
tion    63 

Aino  Storehouse 63 

Beckonoshita  (gigantic  dock)    ...  66 

Uncle  Remus 68 

Japanese  Kitchen  at  Kawanishi  .  69 

Lord  of  Matsumai  and  the  Ainos,  71 
Invasion  of  Yezo  by  the  Russians, 

A.D.  1789 73 

Distributing  Allowances  to  Ainos,  74 

Tai-fu-kari  Dance 75 

Habo's  Father 77 

Wooden  Pestle  and  Mortar     .    .  78 

Oukari 80 

OwARi  Jar 82 

Winding   up  the  Evening's  Enter- 
tainment    83 

Sunrise 85 

Yezo  Wild  Flowers 87 

A  Lazy  Aino 89 

Japanese  Curios  in  Aino  Hut     .    .  91 

A  Dangerous  Crossing 93 

Machi-koro  {Aino  marriage)  ....  97 

Chief  Setta-eye 100 

Shitoki lOI 

Setta-eye's  Wife 102 

Setta-eye's  Hut 105 

Interior  of  Setta-eye's  Hut.    .    .  107 

Aino  Weapons 108 

Shuttle 109 

si 


Xll 


ILL  USTRA  TIONS. 


Page. 


The   jEWErrs'   Home  in    Hokuyak- 

BETS 

Iron  Pot    

SeTTA-EYE  ENTERTAINING  HIS  FRIENDS, 

Punishment  of  Oukari 

Saimon  (ordeal  by  hot  water)      .     .     .     . 

AiNO  Hunters 

Shooting  a  trapped  Bear    .... 

OTO's   GRANDF.VrHER  HUNTING  .      .      . 

FiTz's  Bear 

AiNO  Marriage-Permit 

Habo  serving  Sake 

Making  Inaho 

Hinzinzo  Dance 

AiNO  Babies 

Tormenting  the  Bear 

Death  of  the  Bear 

AiNO  Chiefs  saluting  Strangers    . 
Serving  Wine  at  Iyomante  .    .    . 

OuRi  Salutation 

AiNO  Woman's  Recognition   .     .    . 
Meeting  of  Father  and  Son  .    .    . 
Aino  wrestling  with  Bear   .    .    . 

Lake  Kutzu-chako 

Yabe   {crayfish)  FISHING 

Fort  Menka-koshi 

An  Angry  Aino 

Label  of  Sen-kin-tan 

In  Sight  of  Mount  Ishikari      .     . 

Shib6  {boiiito)  fishing 

Northern  Seal  

Aino  Seal-hunters 

Hakotan  Bay  

Aino  Girls  (Karafuto) 

Aino  Girl's  Girdle 

Aino  Girl's  Dress 

Kogoho  {ancient  fort) 

Aino  Hunters  {A'arafnto) 

Preparing  a  Bear  for  Captivity  . 

Cooking-pot 

Wood  Bowl  for  Food 

Dogs'  Nurses 

Kushunai 

Training  Sleigh-dogs 

Mount  Kitoshi 

Samelenko  Man 

Samelenkos 

Samelenko  Hat  and  Pillow    .     .     . 
Outside  of  Underground  House  . 
Inside  of  Underground  House  .     . 
Iron  Cooking-pot 


Samelenko  Guitar  and  Pipes  . 

Bo.vr  made  by  Colletski^  .    .    . 

Sail  made  of  Fish-skin    .    .    . 

Men  of  Wakee 

Wakee  Girls 

HoiNU  (otter-trap) 

Samelenko  Fo.\-trap     .... 

HOKOBI 

Samelenko  Lady  at  her  Toilet 

Samelenko  God  and  God-house 

Samelenko  Storehouse    .    .    . 

Samelenko  Treasures    .... 

Samelenko  Otter-trap     .     .     . 

Ishirao.  Coast  of  Tartary  in  Dis 
tance    

Boys  fishing 

Samelenko  underground  Dwell- 
ing   

Samelenko  Baby     

Novel  Method  of  catching  Snipe, 

Port  Tamurao 

Samelenko  Tomb     

Funeral  Decorations 

Samelenko  Woman's  Monument  •. 

House  in  Tamurao 

Coat-of-mail 

Colletske  Canoe 

CoLLETSK^  Man  and  Woman.    .    . 

Tracking  along  the  Shore  with 
Dogs 

Harbor  of  Tonu     

House  in  Tonu 

Colletsk6  Quiver 

Koj6,  THE  Smith 

Colletsk6  Bellows 

Colletsk^  Boat    

CoLLETSK^  Sleigh 

Tin  Bottle 

Colletske  Weapons 

Toronto  Bay     

Santan  Girls  

Santan  Summer  Residence  .    .    .    . 

Santan  Storehouse    

Santan  Deer  (tonakai) 

Horonai 

Oroko  Tribe 

Jewetts'  House  in  Horonai  .    .    . 

Bad  News 

Capt.  Boynton 

Woman's  Monument 

Sledding  in  the  Mud 


Page. 
199 
20c 
201 
203 
204 
205 
206 
207 
20S 
209 
210 
211 
213 

215 
216 

217 
218 
221 
222 
223 
224 
225 
226 
227 
22S 
229 


233 
23s 
236 

237 
238 
241 

242 

244 
246 
247 
248 
249 
250 

251 
256 
258 
261 
262 
264 
266 
271 


ILL  USTRA  TIONS. 


XlU 


Page. 

Karafuto  Ainos'  Ouri 273 

Spearing  a  Seal 275 

Ascending  Horonobori 276 

AiNo  "Pottery  Infant"     ....  281 
Huroi,  south-east  Coast  of  Kara- 
futo      284 

Poro  Parumbe's  Candy-pull  .    .    .  286 


Page. 

Using  a  Beckonishita  Leaf     .    .    .  2SS 

Yezo  Hoopoe 2S9 

Old  Time's  Rock 290 

A I  no  Fox-trap 292 

Chief  Hokuyak  Namihu 294 

Mrs.  Nambo's  Dream 299 

Dai-bi 304 


THE 


BEAR-WORSHIPPERS 


OF    YEZO. 


THE  BEAR -WORSHIPPERS  OP  YEZO 
AND  SAGHALIN. 


CHAPTER   I. 

BOUND  FOR  THE  FAR  NORTH. 

"  The  frog  itt  the  well  has  no  idea  of  the  great  ocean ^  still  he  imagines  he  knows 
every  thing.  Mizuno  of  Ota  had  never  been  out  of  his  native  village;  yet  when 
he  was  told  abont  the  Yezo-jin  {Aino)  he  laughed,  and  replied,  '■Such  tales  are  very 
good  for  children  :  as  for  me,  I  am  not  acquainted  with  any  one  who  worships  a 
beary 

THE  morning  sun  was  rising  over  the  house-tops  at  the  back 
of  the  Jewetts'  residence  in  the  Kaga  Yashiki,  Tokio,  as 
Fitz  Jewett  summoned  his  brother  and  sister,  saying,  — 

"  Hi-yakii  "  (hurry  upj,  "  Salhe  and  Johnnie  !  Choso's  boy, 
Tatszgoro,  is  wresthng  with  httle  Mankichi !  Do  come  and 
take  a  peep  at  them." 

The  young  people  proceeded  to  a  room  overlooking  the 
yard,  and,  pushing  aside  the  shoji  (paper-filled  window-screen), 
beheld  two  Japanese  children  engaged  in  what  may  be  termed 
the  national  pastime.  They  had  spread  a  rush  mat  on  the 
ground,  and  tied  a  bamboo  across  the  entrance  to  the  yard  in 
order  to  keep  spectators  from  approaching  too  near  and  inter- 
fering with  the  exhibition. 


2  THE   BEAR-WORSHIPPERS    OF    YEZO. 

Tatszg-oro,  whose  head  was  shaven  in  patches,  was  a  chubby- 
faced,  brown-skinned,  black-eyed,  merry  fellow ;  and  Mankichi 
was  as  like  him  as  one  bean  is  to  another. 

On  seeing  the  Jewetts,  Tatszgoro  walked  round  and  slapped 
his  limbs  like  a  Japanese  wrestler,  then  crouched  on  the  eastern 


TATSZGORO    AND    MANKICHI    WRESTLING. 


end  of  the  mat,  clinched  his  fists,  and  rested  upon  them  and  his 
toes,  on  all  fours. 

Mankichi  took  his  place  on  the  western  end  of  the  mat,  and 
posed  exactly  as  his  comrade  had  done. 

"  Shall  I  be  gioshi?"  (umpire),  cried  Fitz. 

"  Hai,  sama  !''  (yes,  sir),  responded  the  boys,  ducking  their 
heads  respectfully. 

Fitz  borrowed  his  sister's  fan,  stepped  into  the  veranda,  and, 
addressing  the  spectators,  said,  — 


BOUND   FOR    THE   FAR   NORTH.  3 

"  You  are  about  to  enjoy  a  great  treat.  Tatszgoro  is  a  very 
skilful  wrestler:  his  fame  is  known  all  over  our  house;  he  is 
the  champion  of  the  East.  Mankichi,  who  is  no  less  cele- 
brated, is  the  rampant  roarer  of  the  West.  Now  hold  your 
breath." 

''Hail  kail  hail"  laughingly  responded  the  lookers-on, 
among  whom  were  Gosuke  and  Shobei  the  jin-riki-sJia  men, 
old  Sokichi  the  gardener,  and  the  nwmbaii  s  wife.  The  latter 
wore  hio^h  closes,  and  carried  her  babe  on  her  back. 

While  Fitz  was  speaking,  the  little  wrestlers  had  remained 
perfectly  still  with  their  eyes  respectfully  cast  downward. 

The  boy  waved  his  fan,  after  the  manner  of  the  giosJii,  then 
said  in  a  commanding  voice,  — 

"  Mi  a  ivashi  ta  tokorode"  (look  at  each  other). 

The  children  obeyed. 

"  Sa!''  (begin),  he  shouted,  stepping  back  a  pace. 

The  contestants  rose  quickly,  grasped  one  another  by  the 
hands,  and  proceeded  to  wrestle  like  the  fat  athletes  at  Eko- 
in.' 

"  Is  it  not  fun  !  "  observed  Sallie,  who  was  resting  her  chin 
on  Johnnie's  shoulder.  "I  do  not  believe  the  real  siimotori  do 
any  better." 

When  Mankichi  grasped  Tatszgoro  incorrectly,  Fitz  shook 
his  fan,  and  yelled, — 

"  Matai  !  matai  !  niatai  !  "   (stop,  stop,  stop). 

On  hearing  this  command,  the  little  fellow^s  relaxed  their 
grip,  and  retired  to  their  respective  places. 

After  a  while  Tatszgoro  caught  Mankichi  in  a  peculiar  way, 
and  lifted  him  off  the  ground  ;  then  suddenly  knelt,  and  pressed 
his  opponent's  shoulders  flat  upon  the  mat,  thus  gaining  the 

'   Vide  p.  147,  "Wonderful  City  of  Tokio.'" 


THE   BEAR-WOKSHIPPERS    OF   YEZO. 


victory.  This  so  delighted  Fitz,  that  he  danced  round  and 
round  the  combatants,  and,  taking  off  his  jacket,  threw  it  to 
Tatszgoro,  crying,  — 

"  I  will  redeem  that  with  ten  cents'  worth  of  candy.  Yuke, 
yuke  "  (go  on). 

Instead    of   complying,  the   children    rushed    in-doors,   and 

the  Japanese  spectators  made  off 
with  great  precipitation.  The  young 
Americans  turned  to  ascertain  the 
cause,  and  beheld  a  Yashiki  police- 
man, who  was  hated  by  the  servants 
on  account  of  his  arrogant  ways. 
He  swaggered  past  the  house  as 
though  the  place  belonged  to  him, 
and  seemed  to  be  suffering  from 
sake. 

"  I  do  not  like  that  man,"  said 
Sallie.  "  He  frightens  the  children, 
and  the  other  day  he  arrested  my 
cat.  No  wonder  the  little  ones  are 
afraid  of  him." 

While  they  were  speaking  they 
heard  their  father  calling  for  them.  Presently  Professor 
Jewett  and  his  wife  entered  the  room ;  and  the  former 
said,  — 

"  I  have  news  for  you.  A  government  steamer  leaves  for 
Yezo  at  four  o'clock,  and  we  are  oroino-  in  her.  Make  haste  : 
there  is  no  time  to  lose." 

"  I  have  had  my  trunk  packed  for  the  last  month,  sir,"  said 
Fitz.      "  We  are  ready  to  go  right  away." 

At  noon  the  Professor  and  his  family  started  in  their  jin- 


THE    YASHIKI    POLICEMAN. 


BOUND  FOR    THE  FAR  NORTH. 


riki-sha  for  the  Shimbashi  depot,  a  dozen  servants   foHowing 
with  the  baggage. 

They  took  the  train  for  Yokohama,  and  arrived  at  the  settle- 
ment about  two  o'clock.  The  Professor,  being  upon  govern- 
ment duty,  was  met  by  Capt.  Imadate,  who  escorted  them  to 
his  boat,  which  was  lying  alongside  the  English  hatoba  (wharf). 

Soon  they  were  being  rowed  swiftly  to  the  Japanese  man-of- 
war,  in  which  they  were  to  embark, 
and  within   an   hour  were   steaming- 
down  the  Bay  of  Yedo. 

The  vessel  was  entirely  officered 
and  manned  by  Nihonese,  and  the 
discipline  was  perfect.  There  was  a 
detachment  of  troops  on  board  ;  and 
as  soon  as  the  vessel  was  under  way, 
the  soldiers  were  mustered,  and  the 
roll  called. 

"  How    badly    their    clothes    fit  ' 
them  !  "  remarked  Fitz.     "  The  pants 
look  as  though  they  were  made  by 
machinery." 

"They  can   fight,    spite   of  their 
clumsy     looks,"     retorted     Johnnie. 
*'  After  all,  I  have  seen  foreign  soldiers  who  were  not  an)-  better 
dressed  than  these,  and  who  could  not  fight  a  bit." 

The  men  were  drilled,  then  dismissed ;  after  which  the 
colonel  approached  the  Jewetts,  and  said,  — 

"We  are  going  to  land  at  Sendai,  and  shall  not  have  the 
pleasure  of  accompanying  you  to  Hakodate.  Do  you  know 
that  your  friend  Dr.  Nanibo  will  join  you  there  ?  He  embarked 
by  the  steamer  that  preceded  us." 


JAPANESE    INFANTRY    SOLDIER. 


THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


"  Yes,  I  am  aware  that  the  doctor  will  be  one  of  our  party," 
answered  the  Professor.  "  I  do  not  believe  my  family  would 
enjoy  the  trip  north  unless  our  friend  accompanied  us." 

"For  what  are  we  slowing  up?"  inquired  Fitz ;  "and  why 
are  the  people  clustering  in  the  bow  ? " 

"  Come  and  see,"  said  the  colonel.  "  I  think  we  have 
stopped  in  order  to  avoid  running  down  a  fishing-craft." 

They  went  forward,  and  beheld  a  most  interesting  sight,  — 
fishermen  hauling  in  their  net,  which  was  alive  with  enormous 

karei    (flounders)    and     crabs. 


The  men  worked  with  a  will, 
and  soon  the  gigantic  net  was 
drawn  on  board ;  then  sail  was 
trimmed,  and  the  fime  (junk) 
and  steamer  rapidly  parted  com- 
pany. 

"We  should  starve  without 
those  fellows,"  said  the  captain. 
"  There  is  not  a  mile  of  water 
belonging  to  the  Japanese  Em- 
pire that  is  not  searched  for 
food.  We  pride  ourselves  up- 
on the  ability  of  our  fishermen." 

"Dinner  is  ready,  Sama,''  said  the  captain's  steward,  saluting 
respectfully. 

"  And  so  am  I !"  exclaimed  Fitz.     "The  salt  air  has  made 
me  very  hungry." 

Upon  descending  to  the  saloon  they  found  the  table  spread 
in  foreign  fashion,  and  soon  every  one  was  enjoying  the  repast. 
"  Why  do  you  have  the  kirin  carved  upon  the  woodwork?" 
inquired  Johnnie. 


THE    KIRIN. 


8  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

"It  is  often  used  in  conjunction  with  the  kiri-moii'' 
(imperial  crest),  answered  the  commander.  "  Some  people 
believe  it  to  be  the  guardian  of  the  imperial  family.  Being 
a  sailor,  I  do  not  know  much  about  these  things." 

After  dinner  they  adjourned  to  the  quarter-deck,  and 
listened  to  the  band,  which  entertained  them  with  native 
and  foreign  airs. 

At  ten  o'clock  they  retired ;  and  soon  the  thud  of  the  screw, 
and  the  lapping  of  the  waves  against  the  ship's  side,  were  the 
only  sounds  that  broke  the  stillness  of  the  night. 

About  two  A.M.,  Fitz  awoke,  and,  looking  through  the  port, 
saw  lights  flickering  upon  the  water ;  whereupon  he  roused  his 
brother,  remarking, — 

"  Say,  Johnnie,  let  us  go  on  deck  and  see  the  fun.  We  are 
approaching  a  narrow  channel  between  the  mainland  and  some 
islands,  and  I  want  to  learn  how  those  fellows  work  their 
torches." 

The  lads  put  on  their  Japanese  kwi07to,  which  they  w^ore 
as  dressing-gowns,  and  proceeded  up  the  companion-ladder ; 
at  the  top  of  which  they  were  greeted  by  the  first  lieutenant, 
who  said,  — 

'' Ohayo  !''  ("you  are  early,"  equivalent  to  our  "good- 
morning.")     "Are  your  beds  too  hard?" 

"Oh,  no!"  answered  Johnnie.  "This  scene  is  too  inter- 
esting to  miss."  ' 

They  approached  the  ship's  side,  and,  as  the  vessel  threaded 
her  way  among  the  boats,  watched  the  fishermen  at  their 
occupation. 

In  the  bow  of  each  craft  was  an  Iron  cresset,  that  projected 
about  a  yard  from  the  side,  and  in  which  burned  pine-knots 
and  other  inflammable  klndllnor,  that   flared  and  attracted  the 


lO 


THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


fishes.     The  men  all  wore  broad  bamboo  hats  and  blue  cotton 
shirts,    and    had    straw   coats   tied    about    their   waists.     They 
fished  with    lines,  and  the  sinkers  were  tied  within  a  foot  of 
the  hooks.     When  a  big  fish  was  caught,  the  captor  would  yell 
exultingly,  and  boast  about  the  size  of  his  prize. 
"  Phew  !  "  said  Fitz,  "  what  an  unpleasant  odor  !  " 
"It  is  the  clams  they  use  for  bait,"  said  the  first  lieutenant.. 
"The  fish  like  them  when  they  are  very  stale." 
"  So  I  should  think,"  grimly  observed  Johnnie. 
The  air  was  too  cool  to  allow  them  to  remain  on  deck  with 
any  pleasure  :  so  the  boys  presently  returned  to  their  beds,  and 

were  soon  once  more  fast  asleep. 

When  they  awoke  they  found  that 
the  vessel  was  runnino-  alona  die  coast, 
which  was  very  romantic  and  beauti- 
ful. 

On  the  morning  of  the  second  day 
they  anchored  in  the  Bay  of  Sendai, 
and  the  American  party  went  on  shore. 
Upon  approaching  the  landing- 
place,  they  were  saluted  by  Dr.  Oto 
Nambo,  who  said,  imitating  the  New- 
England  drawl  of  an  old  fisherman  at 
Cromlech,  — 

"  We 11,  I  thought  you  was  never  coming." 

"Who  is  your  friend?"  asked  Johnnie  in  English,  indicating 
a  soldier  who  was  seated  on  the  wharf  behind  Oto. 

"  He  is  a  cavalryman,  one  of  my  patients,"  said  Oto  jocosely. 
"  Do  not  be  rude  to  me,  or  he  may  cut  off  your  head.  He  was 
formerly  a  ronin!' 

"  I   should   think  so,"  said   FItz.      "  In   the   olden   times   the 


JAPANESE    CAVALRY    SOLDIER. 


BOUND  FOR    THE  FAR  NORTH. 


II 


ronin  disguised  themselves  by  wearing-  hats  that  concealed 
their  faces :  now  they  are  completely  lost  in  their  boots." 

"  Do  hush,  Fitz,"  whispered  Sallie.  "  Perhaps  he  can  under- 
stand English." 

Oto  helped  them  on  shore,  then  said,  — 

"  I  am  real  glad  to  see  you  all.  The  ship  will  remain  here 
for  a  day,  so  you  will  have  time  to  visit  the  awabi  fishery." 


A    STREET    IN    SENDAI. 


"  What  a  queer  old  street !  "  said  Sallie,  as  they  ascended  the 
main  thoroughfare.  "  I  should  die  if  I  had  to  live  in  such  a 
place  as  this." 

"  Then  you  would  not  have  to  live  here,"  quietly  answered 
Johnnie.  "  Sallie  is  always  going  to  die  when  every  thing  is 
not  in  apple-pie  order." 

They  ascended  the  steps  of  the  street,  and,  turning  to  the 
left,  entered  a  Japanese  yadoya  (inn),  where  they  found  an 
excellent  repast  had  been  prepared  for  them. 


12  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

"Oh,  baked  beans!"  shouted  the  irrepressible.  "This  is 
what  I  call  a  civilized  place." 

When  the  meal  was  over,  the  party  engaged  jin-riki-s/ia, 
and  rode  along  the  coast  until  they  reached  the  scene  of  the 
awabi  fisher)',  —  a  rocky  promontory  round  which  were  moored 
a  number  of  boats. 

Professor  Jewett,  who  was  somewhat  fond  of  lecturing, 
turned  to  his  children,  and  said,  — 

"The  awabi,  or  rather  the  haliotis  ttibcrndata ,  commonly 
called  the  sea-ear,  is  a  univalve  shell-fish,  which  is  gathered 
from  the  sides  of  rocks  that  are  always  submerged." 

"  Please  spare  us,  Professor,"  murmured  Mrs.  Jewett,  who 
feared  a  prolonged  dissertation  on  concholog)'.  "  I  believe  the 
children  are  pretty  well  posted." 

"  Yes,  mother,"  said  Fitz,  with  a  nod.  "  We  have  had  all 
the  varieties  of  haliotis  for  breakfast,  tiffin,  and  dinner.  Guess 
we  will  recognize  them  when  we  see  them." 

The  Professor  stroked  his  beard,  but  did  not  continue  his  re- 
marks ;  then,  seating  himself  upon  the  rocks,  watched  the  fishing. 

The  boats  were  secured  close  to  the  shore,  and  were  already 
somewhat  heavily  laden  with  awabi.  Each  craft  carried  two 
divers  ;  excepting  the  one  at  the  extreme  end  of  the  point, 
from  which  Oto  informed  them  a  man  had  been  lost  on  the 
previous  day.  "  Eaten  by  an  octopus "  (devil-fish),  he  sen- 
tentiously  remarked.  "That  is  his  little  boy  in  the  boat:  do 
you  not  notice  how  sad  he  looks  ?  " 

The  divers  wore  what  Fitz  termed  straw  waistcoats :  other- 
wise they  were  lightly  clad.  They  stood  in  the  bows  of  their 
boats,  and,  after  securing  ropes  about  their  bodies,  dived  head- 
long into  the  waves.  Each  carried  an  iron  instrument  in  his 
girdle  with  which  to  detach  the  awabi  from  the  rocks. 


14  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS    OE   YEZO. 

The  Americans  watched  the  men  with  great  interest,  and 
saw  them  crawl  along  the  bottom  of  the  sea  and  secure  the 
coveted  prizes.  Upon  reaching  the  surface  they  handed  the 
fish  to  their  comrades,  who  put  them  in  baskets,  and  commented 
as  follows  :  — 

"That  is  a  very  large  one,"  or  otherwise:  "I  like  a  man 
who  keeps  his  eyes  open  under  water.  Now,  good  friend,  take 
a  long  breath,  and  descend  again.  The  days  are  short,  and 
we  want  to  make  all  the  money  we  can." 

The  party  spent  about  an  hour  seeing  the  divers,  then  fol- 
lowed Oto  to  a  nook  in  which  men,  women,  and  children  were 
busy  preparing  the  awabi  for  market. 

When  the  boats  filled  with  fish  were  landed  on  the  beach, 
they  were  unloaded  by  men,  who,  as  they  worked,  uttered  loud 
cries,  and  bore  the  baskets  to  mats  spread  upon  the  sand. 

The  aivabi  has  gristly  flesh,  like  a  litde-neck  clam.  The 
fish  that  are  not  despatched  fresh  to  the  market  are  pared, 
like  apples,  into  long  strips,  which  are  laid  on  mats,  and  dried 
in  the  sun  and  air. 

Everybody  was  very  busy,  —  some  paring,  others  spreading 
the  strips  on  mats,  and  the  remainder  of  the  party  packing  the 
dried  fish.  All  were  full  of  fun,  and  seemed  to  make  a  picnic 
of  the  business. 

The  scene  was  certainly  an  animated  one  ;  but  the  odor  was 
not  pleasant,  so  the  spectators  did  not  remain  very  long. 

As  they  walked  back  to  Sendai,  Sallie  remarked,  — 

"  I  do  not  believe  your  fishermen  possess  the  sense  of  smell, 
or  they  never  could  bear  what  they  do." 

"  Oh  !  I  do  not  know  so  much  about  that,"  quietly  responded 
Oto.  "  I  recollect  feeling  quite  overpowered  by  the  perfume 
of  the  menhaden -oil  factories  of  Gloucester." 


1 6  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

"  Yes,"  said  Fitz,  with  a  chuckle.  "  Do  you  remember, 
when  you  remarked  about  the  scent,  the  proprietor  told  you 
that  the  money  he  earned  by  the  business  was  sweet  ?  " 

Sallie  smiled,  nodded,  and  said,  — 

"  I  suppose  there  is  really  not  much  difference  between  the 
Japanese  and  American  fish-business." 

Upon  turning  a  point  of  the  coast,  they  beheld  a  most  ani- 
mated scene.  Four  boats,  manned  by  lightly  clad  fishermen, 
were  working  a  net  in  which  they  had  just  made  a  haul  of  tai, 
a  kind  of  shad.  Tli^  net  was  secured  to  two  boats,  and  the  fish 
were  being  taken  from  it  with  scoops  shaped  like  those  used 
to  catch  butterflies.  As  one  boat  was  filled,  it  was  rowed  to  the 
shore,  emptied,  and  hurried  back  to  the  scene  of  operation. 

"  Gracious  !  are  they  not  excited?"  exclaimed  Sallie. 

"There  is  money  in  it,"  said  Johnnie,  "Each  tai  is  worth 
five  se7t  to  the  men.  They  do  not  make  such  a  haul  every 
day.     You  shout,  do  you  not,  when  you  catch  a  fish  ? " 

"  No,  she  screams,"  said  Fitz.  "  She  says,  '  I  cannot  touch 
it !     Take  it  away :  it  will  bite  me  ! '  " 

"  Do  not  tease  me,  brother,"  pleaded  Sallie.  "  You  know  I 
dislike  to  give  any  thing  pain." 

"  Come,"  said  the  Professor,  "  I  think  w^e  had  better  be 
moving.     I  do  not  know  how  you  feel :  I  am  hungry." 

"  Well,  sir,  I  would  not  object  to  a  planked  shad  myself," 
said  Fitz.     "  I  vote  we  secure  some." 

Upon  asking  the  fishermen  the  price,  they  said  one  yen 
(dollar)   each,  and  they  would  not  take  any  less. 

"Then  we  will  go  without,"  said  Mrs.  Jewett.  "I  think  it 
is  an  imposition  to  ask  more  here  than  they  do  in  the  Tokio 
market." 

As  the  party  moved  away,  the  fishermen  called  out,  — 


l8  THE   BEAR-U'ORSHIPPERS   OE   YEZO. 

"  You  may  have  as  many  as  you  want  for  ten  cents  each." 

When  the  foreigners  had  gone  a  Httle  distance,  a  woman  ran 
after  them  with  a  string  of  the  finest  tai,  and,  smiHng,  said.  — 

"  Please  accept  these,  and  give  us  any  thing  you  hke." 

"  Give  her  a  chif  (note  to  be  paid  by  their  house-steward 
in  Tokio),  said  Fitz. 

Every  one  laughed  at  this  ;  and  a  bargain  was  made  with 
the  woman,  who,  for  twenty-five  sen,  agreed  to  carry  the  tai  to 
Sendai. 

When  the  travellers  neared  the  town,  they  noticed  a  great 
many  rows  of  stakes  driven  in  the  water  along  the  flat  portions 
of  the  shore. 

"  Those  are  oyster  and  mussel  farms,"  said  Oto.  "  Millions 
of  bushels  are  annually  raised  in  this  manner.  Tall  bamboos 
are  driven  into  the  mud,  and  formed  into  barriers,  to  which  the 
shell-fish  readily  attach  themselves.  When  the  tide  is  coming 
in,  the  doors  of  the  enclosures  are  opened  ;  and  as  soon  as  it 
begins  to  turn,  they  are  closed  again  in  order  to  cut  off  the 
retreat  of  the  fishes.  At  low  water  the  owners  of  the  pound 
enter  it,  and  secure  their  victims,  and  rake  off  whatever  shell- 
fish they  require.  This  method  is  pursued  all  round  the  coast 
of  Japan  and  Yezo,  and  is  a  source  of  great  wealth  ;  the  oyster- 
farmers  paying  a  tax  to  the  government." 

"  It  seems  to  me,  in  Japan,  every  thing  pays  a  tax  to  the 
government,"  remarked  Fitz. 

"  Yes,  we  tax  a  good  many  articles,"  quietly  replied  Oto  ; 
"  and  so  do  you,  if  my  memory  serves  me  rightly.  I  think  it 
ought  to  convince  you  how  closely  we  have  copied  American 
customs." 

Fitz  whistled,  then  made  a  grimace  as  though  he  wished  he 
had  not  spoken. 


20  THE   BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF    VEZO. 

They  soon  after  entered  ih^tw  jin-riki-s/ia,  and  were  rapidly 
conve)'ed  to  the  inn  ;  on  nearing  which  the  Professor  snifted, 
and  remarked,  — 

"  I  smell  the  odor  of  the  serranus  viarginalisy 

His  surmise  proved  to  be  correct ;  among  the  dishes  served 
being  a  fine  specimen  of  the  tai  they  had  seen  caught  that 
afternoon. 

At  ten  o'clock  the  next  morning  the  party  re-embarked  on 
board  the  man-of-war,  and  started  up  the  coast. 


HAKODATE,  21 


CHAPTER   II. 

HAKODATE. 

'■'•Fresh  air  is  a  very  excellent  thing.  One  enjoys  plenty  of  this  in  the  chief  city 
of  Vezo,  2vhere,  in  order  to  keep  a  roof  over  their  heads,  the  people  have  to  cover 
the  shingles  with  huge  rocks. 

"  //  is  said,  when  Futen  {the  god  of  the  wi?ids)  unties  his  bag,  he  always  points 
its  neck  in  the  direction  of  Hakodate.'" 

1"^HE  Americans  landed  at  several  places  along  the  coast,  so 
the  ship  did  not  reach  Tsugaru  Strait  until  the  afternoon 
of  the  third  day. 

As  they  neared  Yezo,  they  saw  a  cluster  of  islands,  on  one 
of  which  were  two  torii  and  a  little  temple. 

"That,  to  the  left,  is  Benten-shima."  said  Oto.  "The  one 
behind  it  is  Obi-shima.  The  sailors  go  to  Benten's  temple  to 
say  their  last  prayer  before  they  proceed  to  sea,  the  queen  of 
the  ocean  being  their  patroness." 

"  Why  do  those  ftine  (junks)  have  diamond-shaped  marks 
on  their  sails  ?  " 

"That  was  one  of  the  badores  of  the  Lord  of  Matsumai." 
replied  the  young  doctor.  "  Although  the  title  of  daimio  is 
abolished,  these  old-fashioned  captains  of  junks  still  carry  the 
crest  of  their  former  chief  on  their  sails.  They  are  mostly 
ignorant  men  who  do  not  read  the  newspapers." 

"  In  which  direction  is  Hakodate?"  inquired  SalHe. 

"  Round  the  point  to  the  right,"  answered  Oto.  "  We  shall 
probably  come  to  anchor  in  about  an  hour." 


22 


THE  BEAT    WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


They  chatted  with  the  officers,  who  told  them  that  the 
vessel  expected  to  take  the  part}-  to  Karafuto  (Saghalin), 
the  most  northerly  of  the  two  islands,  and  that  the  captain 
had  received  orders  to  convey  the  Professor  to  whatever  part 
of  Yezo  he  decided  to  visit. 

"  Look  at  those  big  fish!  "  excitedly  exclaimed  Sallie,  point- 
ing to  a  school  of  whales  making  into  the  harbor. 

"  We  call  them  Aino  beef,"  said  Oto.  "  The  savages  on  the 
coast  would   die   if   it  were   not   for   those  creatures;    besides, 


BENTENSHIMA    AND    OBISHIMA. 


there  is  a  great  business  done  in  exporting  the  dried  flesh  to 
Japan,  and  in  the  oil  which  is  sold  to  foreigners." 

"  You  speak  as  though  you  were  no  longer  in  your  native 
country,"  said  Mrs.  Jewett. 

Oto  changed  color,  and  replied,  — 

"  Indeed,  this  is  not  Japan.  It  is  merely  a  dependency 
which  we  colonize  and  protect." 

"You  mean  rule,"  said  the  matter-of-fact  Fitz.  "England 
has  seized  India  under  the  plea  of  protecting  it." 

"Yezo  is  not  like  India,"  said  the   Professor:   "  it  is  really  a 


HAKODATE.  23 

portion  of  great  Japan,  peopled  by  an  aboriginal  race  ;  "  adding 
with  a  sly  glance  at  Oto,  "  I  do  not  mean  to  assert  that  your 
ancestors  were  Ainos." 

As  they  neared  Hakodate,  they  saw  that  the  city  consisted 
of  long,  straggling  streets  at  the  base  of  a  tolerably  high  hill ; 
the  harbor  being  formed  by  a  n'eck  of  land,  something  like 
Marblehead  on  the  eastern  shore  of  Massachusetts. 

Numbers  oi  fime  (junks)  were  moored  off  the  point;  some 
American  whalers,  British  men-of-war,  and  foreign  merchant- 
ships  were  anchored  in  the  harbor ;  and  the  water  was  alive 
with  native  boats  propelled  by  scantily  costumed  sendo  (boat- 
men), who,  as  they  passed  the  vessel,  shouted  a  welcome  to 
the  new-comers. 

The  Jewetts  disembarked  in  a  ship's-boat,  and  were  taken 
to  the  residence  of  one  of  Oto's  relatives,  who  welcomed  them, 
and  placed  his  house  at  their  disposition. 

"Where  are  the  Ainos?"  inquired  Sallie.  "I  expected  to 
see  lots  of  them  on  the  streets." 

Mr.  Yamamoto,  their  host,  who  had  spent  some  years  in 
the  States,  smiled  as  though  very  much  amused  ;  then,  bowing, 
said,  — 

"  We  have  very  few  Ainos  in  Hakodate,  and  just  at  pres- 
ent those  are  away  fishing.  We  treat  them  as  you  do  your 
Indians." 

"Kill  them  off,  eh?"  said  Fitz. 

"Oh,  no!"  gently  answered  Mr.  Yamamoto.  "What  I 
meant  was  this :  We  are  gradually  colonizing  this  island,  and 
endeavoring  to  reclaim  it  for  agricultural  purposes :  however,  in 
doing  so,  we  have  no  desire  to  exterminate  the  Ainos,  who  are 
very  harmless  people." 

"That  is  most  humane  of  you,"  said  Mrs.  Jewett.      "  I  think 


24  THE  BEAR-IVORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

it  is  much  better  to  try  and  improve  the  condition  of  savages, 
than  to  goad  them  into  desperation,  and  shoot  them  down  when 
they  rebel." 

"  Dinner  is  served,  Saina''  said  Mr.  Yamamoto's  chief  ser- 
vant, who  during  the  conversation  had  entered  the  doorway, 
where  he  knelt  and  bowed  his  head  to  the  mats. 

"  Please  follow  me,"  said  their  host,  leading  the  way  to  an 
adjoining  apartment.  "  I  regret  to  have  to  offer  you  such  poor 
entertainment,  but  up  here  in  Yezo  one  has  to  suffer  many 
hardships." 

As  he  ended  his  speech  he  bowed,  drew  in  his  breath 
politely,  and  conducted  them  into  a  room  where  they  found  a 
table  spread  in  American  fashion. 

The  Jewetts  thoroughly  enjoyed  their  repast ;  at  the  conclu- 
sion of  which  Mr.  Yamamoto  asked  them  to  visit  his  library, 
which  was  filled  with  the  best  foreign  and  Japanese  works. 

Fitz  halted  before  a  picture  on  the  wall,  and  inquired,  — 

"  Will  you  please  tell  me  what  this  represents?" 

"  Yes,  with  pleasure,"  answered  their  new  friend.  "  Many 
years  ago  three  ronin  samurai  arrived  in  Aomori  on  their  way 
to  this  city.  They  were  pursued  by  some  of  the  Shogun's 
soldiers,  who  had  orders  to  bring  back  their  heads.  The 
people  of  Aomori  did  not  favor  the  ronin,  and  the  fishermen 
refused  to  take  them  across  the  strait.  In  their  desperation 
they  proceeded  as-  far  as  Omasaki.  Presently  they  saw  behind 
them  in  the  distance  the  soldiers  of  the  Shogun,  who  had 
tracked  them  from  Yedo.  This  sight  made  the  poor  fellows 
desperate,  and  they  concluded  to  die  rather  than  surrender. 
As  they  rushed  down  to  the  water's  edge,  they  beheld  an  Aino 
boat  rising  and  falling  on  the  billows. 

"  '  Let  us  swim  out  to  it,'  said  the  leader.  '  We  will  seize 
the  craft  which  the  o^ods  have  sent  us.' 


Aw 

mm 


A 


m  I' 

1  # 


26  THE   BEAR-WORSHIPPERS    OF    YEZO. 

"  In  another  moment  they  were  making  their  way  through 
the  surf;  while  their  pursuers  stood  on  the  strand,  and  vainl) 
discharged  arrows  at  the  fugitives.  Upon  nearing  the  boat,  an 
Aino  rose  in  the  stern,  and,  regarding  them  with  amazement, 
inquired,  — 

"  '  What  do  you  want  ? ' 

"  As  neither  of  the  ronin  understood  the  Aino  tongue, 
they  scrambled  on  board,  and  pointed  toward  Yezo. 

"  The  chief  nodded  his  head,  seized  his  paddle,  walked 
forward,  and  began  to  prod  at  what  looked  like  six  brown  sacks 
lying  in  the  bow.  These  proved  to  be  as  many  Aino  women, 
who,  rousing  from  their  slumber,  grasped  the  line  attached  to 
the  stone  that  served  for  an  anchor,  and  dragged  the  heavy 
weight  from  the  bottom. 

"After  much  exertion  they  were  ready  to  start,  and,  taking 
up  their  paddles,  headed  the  craft  for  Hakodate. 

"This  picture  was  painted  by  a  friend  of  mine  named 
Jiu-bu." 

"  I  do  not  think  he  was  a  very  great  artist,"  critically 
observed  Fitz.     "  It  appears  all  of  a  jobble." 

"  It  represents  a  jobbling  sea,"  said  Sallie. 

"  What  is  jobble  ?  "  inquired  their  host. 

"  It  means  water  twistinor  and  tumblinor  as  that  does.  You 
won't  find  the  word  in  the  dictionary :  it  was  invented  by  a 
tea-merchant  in  Yokohama." 

"  Ah  !  "  sighed  Mr.  Yamamoto,  "  the  tea-merchants  of  Yoko- 
hama have  added  some  extraordinary  words  to  the  language  of 
Dai  Nikon  y 

The  evening  was  passed  in  looking  over  pictures,  and  chat- 
ting about  their  prospective  trip  into  the  interior. 

Professor  Jewett  consulted  with  the  captain  of  the  man-of- 


28 


THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


war,  and  finally  decided  to  wait  a  day  or  two  in  Hakodate,  then 
proceed  to  Nikamori,  whence  they  would  penetrate  northward, 
and  re-embark  at  Diakotan  for  Saghalin. 

The  next  morning  they  went  out  to  see  the  sights  of 
Hakodate,  a  city  said  to  contain  thirty-seven  thousand  people. 

"  I  do  not  know  where  they  all  are,"  remarked  Johnnie. 
*'  I  think  they  must  be  stowed  away  indoors.  This  is  a  deadly 
lively  place." 


JAPANESE    POLICEMAN    AND    AINO. 


"  Hullo !  "  exclaimed  Fitz,  as  they  neared  a  ward  division. 
"  What  is  that  policeman  looking  at  ?  He  appears  to  be 
mightily  puzzled." 

His  friends  glanced  at  the  official,  who  was  regarding  a  man 
crouching  in  the  street,  with  the  greatest  curiosity ;  the  police- 
man having  only  that  day  arrived  in  the  island. 

"That  is  a  Yezo-jin"  (Aino),  answered  Mr.  Yamamoto. 
"  He  is  as  much  amazed  as  the  new-comer.  The  officer  will 
soon  get  used  to  such  sights,  and  will  make  the  Aino  obey  him. 
Would  you  like  to  visit  the  post-office  and  custom-house  ?  " 


HAKODATE.  29 

"  I  would  rather  go  to  the  theatre,"  said  Fitz.  "  Is  not  that 
one  ahead,  on  our  left  ? "  pointing  to  a  low  building,  the  eaves 
of  which  were  adorned  with  highly  colored  pictures,  represent- 
ing scenes  in  plays,  which  a  man  was  repairing,  and  tying  to 
the  frame-work. 

"There  is  no  performance  this  week,"  said  Mr.  Yamamoto. 
"  Our  only  amusements,  just  now,  are  some  celebrated  fencers 
from  Tokio,  who  exhibit  this  afternoon," 

The  shops  were  filled  with  miscellaneous  articles ;  among 
which  were  beautiful  bear  and  dog  skins,  and  some  clumsy 
imitations  of  American  canned  provisions. 

None  of  the  houses  were  high.  All  were  of  wood  ;  and  the 
shingles  of  the  roofs  were  held  down  by  enormous  stones,  an 
inexpensive  way  of  securing  them  during  the  gales  for  which 
the  region  is  famous. 

Notwithstanding  Fitz's  objection,  they  visited  the  hospital, 
which  was  under  the  charge  of  Dr.  Fucasi,  a  very  able  surgeon, 
who  was  assisted  by  six  graduates  of  the  Imperial  College  of 
Tokio. 

"We  have  accommodation  for  over  a  hundred  patients." 
said  the  doctor ;  "  and  we  use  foreign  beds.  All  the  arrange- 
ments were  planned  by  a  well-known  American  physician  and 
surgeon,  —  Dr.  Stuart  Eldridge  of  Yokohama.  We  are  greatly 
indebted  to  him  for  many  things." 

He  conducted  them  through  the  buildings  ;  and,  on  arriving 
at  the  reception-room  for  patients,  said,  — 

"  I  have  two  Ainos  waiting  to  consult  me.  Would  you  like 
to  see  them  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  answered  the  Professor.  "  My  boys  are  most 
anxious  to  interview  the  Yezo-jin." 

Dr.   Fucasi  ushered   them  into  the  apartment,  where  they 


30 


THE   ryEAR-WORSHIPPEKS    OF   YEZO. 


beheld  two  stout-looking  savages,  clothed  in  garments  made  of 
brown  fibre  obtained  from  the  bark  of  a  tree  ;  portions  of  the 
dresses  beine  decorated  with  blue  bands  embroidered  with 
white  cotton.  Their  faces  were  not  like  the  Japanese :  their 
hair  was  \ery  soft,  and  somewhat  wavy  ;  their  eyebrows,  mus- 
taches, and  beards  were 
thick  and  heavy ;  their  fore- 
heads high,  broad,  and  mas- 
sive ;  their  frames  strong 
and  well  knit ;  their  noses 
flat,  and  their  mouths  wide  ; 
and,  though  their  unkempt 
hair  eave  them  a  somewhat 
ferocious  look,  their  man- 
ners were  sfentle,  and  their 
voices  singularly  low  and 
musical. 

On  seeing  the  visitors, 
they  saluted  them  by  ex- 
tending their  hands  and 
wavine  them  towards  their 

o 

faces. 

The  elder  of  the  Ainos. 


[from    PHOTOr.RAPH    LOANED   BY    PROF.    MUNROE.] 


who  was  a  chief,  carried  a 


bow  and  arrows  ;  to  the  quiver  of  which  were  fastened  a  number 
of  inaho  (god-sticks),  without  which  these  strange  people  never 
think  of  travelling. 

The  ijiaho  is  made  of  a  piece  of  pine-wood  whitded  in  a 
peculiar  way,  so  as  to  leave  it  covered  with  tiny  curled  .shav- 
ings. It  is  their  idea  of  a  god,  and  their  charm  to  ward  off 
danger.     No   Aino    knows  its  origin,   or  do  any  two  of  them 


HAKODATE. 


31 


use  it  in  exactly  the  same  manner.  It  is  possibly  a  relic  of  an 
ancient  religion,  and  is  not  in  any  way  related  to  the  gohei  of 
Japan. 

The  men,  being  the  first  natives  seen  closely  by  the  Ameri- 
cans, were  objects  of  great  inter- 
est to  the  young  people,  who  put 
a  number  of  questions  to  them  ; 
Dr.  Fucasi  acting  as  interpreter. 

The  chief  said  they  had  no 
written  characters  for  their  lan- 
guage, and  consequently  pos- 
sessed no  books ;  that  they 
believed  in  good  and  bad  kanii 
(gods),  and  that  in  order  to 
please  them  they  ought  to  drink 
plenty  of  sake  (rice-wine). 

"  That  is  a  very  Western  be- 
lief," said  Mrs.  Jewett.  "  Many 
of  our  people  are  more  devoted 
to  the  evil  spirit  of  wine  than 
to  the  spirit  of  truth." 

"  It  shows    that    the    Ainos 
are  civilized,"  said  the   Profes- 
"  I    am    afraid   intemper- 


sor. 

ance    is    a  disease  common   to 

INAHO. 

poor  humanity  of  all  nations." 

Dr.  Fucasi  conducted  the  party  to  his  residence,  where  he 
entertained  them  with  tea  and  cakes. 

"  What  was  the  origin  of  the  Aino  ?  "  inquired  Johnnie. 

The  doctor  smiled,  then  said,  — 

"  Once  upon   a  time,  when  the   gods    lived    on   the  earth. 


32  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS    OF   YEZO. 

a  beautiful  goddess  appeared  off  Yezo  in  a  boat.  She  was 
accompanied  by  a  faithful  dog,  who  had  been  with  her  in  all 
her  wanderings." 

"  Did  he  steer  the  craft?"  inquired  Fitz. 

"The  fact  is  not  recorded,"  answered  the  doctor,  whose 
eyes  twinkled  with  fun.  "  They  probably  performed  the  duty 
by  turns." 

"  Please  don't  interrupt,  brother,"  said  Sallie.  "The  legend 
is  very  interesting." 

Dr.  Fucasi  continued,  — 

"  Upon  landing,  the  lady  sought  shelter  in  a  cave,  where  she 
spent  her  time  in  writing  poems  and  in  weeping.  There," 
pointing  to  a  kakemono  on  the  wall,  "  is  a  representation  of  the 
scene.     You  will  notice  the  faithful  dog  is  bringing  her  a  fish." 

"  It  must  have  been  rather  an  uncomfortable  place  for  her 
to  camp  in,"  said  Fitz.  "  I  would  have  launched  the  boat 
again,  and  gone  to  a  place  where  there  were  houses.  She 
appears  to  have  let  down  her  back  hair,  and  to  have  abandoned 
herself  to  grief." 

"  No  doubt  the  true  interpretation  of  the  legend  is  this," 
said  the  doctor.  "  One  of  the  princesses  of  Japan  was,  with 
her  attendants,  banished  to  this  island,  where  she  was  well 
received  by  the  natives,  who  called  themselves  Aino.  This 
sounds  like  our  Japanese  word  i7tu  (dog),  hence  the  story  that 
a  faithful  dog  fed  the  unhappy  goddess.  I  believe  we  Japan- 
ese invented  the  tale,  and  first  told  the  Yezo-jin  of  their  curious 
origin.  The  natives  say,  'The  Aino  man  is  as  strong,  fierce,  and 
brave  as  a  dog ;  and  that  the  Aino  woman  is  as  gentle  as  the 
kaini  from  whom  she  is  descended.' " 

"  I  presume  it  is  a  sort  of  Darwinism,"  said  the  Professor. 
"  Doctor,  what  are  the  principal  characteristics  of  the  Aino  ? " 


)4 


THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS    OF   YEZO. 


"They  arc,  when  sober,  good-tempered  and  kindly;  but,  as 
a  rule,  lazy,  and  inclined  to  take  life  easily.  I  never  knew  one 
of  them  to  suffer  from  a  nervous  disorder." 

They  took  leave  of  the  doctor,  and  returned  to  their 
friend's  house,  where  they  met  some  of  the  officials  of  the 
KaitakusJii,  i.e.,  the  department  for  the  improvement  of  Yezo, 
which  island  is  termed  by  the  Japanese  Government  the 
Hokkaido,  or  North  Sea  Circuit. 

One  of  them  had  brought  a  sho-mon  (passport)  from  the 
governor,  which  gave  the  Professor  and  his  party  special 
privileges,  and  instructed  all  officials  to  entertain  and  assist 
him. 

When  the  visitors  had  retired,  Oto  said  to  the  boys,  — 

"  Let  us  go  and  see  the  fencing.  It  is  good  fun,  and  I 
am  sure  your  mother  and  sister  will  excuse  us." 

"I  will  accompany  you,"  said  the  Professor.  "These  exhi- 
bitions always  interest  me." 

They  walked  down  the  street,  and  soon  arrived  at  a  house 
above  which  was  a  sign  inscribed,  — 

"  Great  artists  from  Tokio.  Wonderful  exhibition  of  fen- 
cing with  swords,  spears,  and  other  weapons.  By  permission  of 
his  excellency  the  governor.  Admission  five  rin "  (half  a 
cent). 

"  This  is  a  very  inexpensive  entertainment,"  said  Professor 
Jewett,  as  he  tendered  his  money. 

"Would  your  excellency  like  private  seats  for  your  party?" 
asked  the  ticket-seller.  "  The  price  for  such  accommodation  is 
only  one  yen  "  (dollar). 

The  offer  was  accepted ;  and  they  entered  the  building,  a 
barn-like  shell,  in  the  centre  of  which  was  a  raised  structure^ 
loosely  floored  with  planks. 


HAKODArE. 


35 


Near  the  stage  stood  a  young  man,  partly  dressed  in  armor, 
whose  head  bristled  like  a  field  of  young  rice,  who  wore  Ameri- 
can spectacles  and  a  samurai  sword,  and  who  was  producing 
most  doleful  noises  from  an  enormous  conch-shell. 

Fitz  regarded  him  ruefully,  then  said  to  Oto,  — 

"  He  toots  that  horn   more  persistently  than  old  Jem,  who 
sells  clams  at  Cromlech  ;  does 
he  not  ? " 

"Yes,"  answered  the 
)-oung  doctor.  "  It  is  hard 
work.  Here  come  the  fen- 
cers." 

Two  lads  and  an  old  man 
mounted  the  stage,  and, 
kneelino'  in  a  row,  bowed  re- 
spectfully,  until  their  fore- 
heads touched  the  boards. 
Then  the  elder,  half  rising, 
leaned  upon  his  fan,  and  said 
in  a  sing-song  voice,  — 

"  Tanaka  and  Nakayama. 
Two  of  the  most  celebrated 
fencers  in  Tokio.  They  will 
now  o-ive  an  exhibition  with 
the  shine''  (bamboo-staff)  "and  the  kama'"  (bamboo-sickle). 
The  combatants  then  rose,  and  proceeded  to  arra)'  themselves 
for  the  fra)\ 

First  they  put  on  Jiakania  (trousers),  then  breastplates  and 
waist-armor,  after  which  they  donned  thickly  wadded  helmets 
and  masks  and  gloves. 

The   master  of  the  ceremonies,  who  was  comicalh'  precise 


PERFORMER     ON    THE    CONCHSHELL. 


36  'J' /IE   BEAR-U'ORSUIPJ'ERS   OF   YRZO. 

in  his  actions,  regarded  them  paternally,  and,  when  they  were 
accoutred,  signalled  them  to  attack.  They  danced  round,  and 
struck  one  another  in  a  very  lively  fashion,  but  did  not  appear 
to  mind  taking  punishment. 

Fitz,  as  usual,  became  excited,  and  at  the  conclusion  of  a 


JAPANESE    FENCING. 


rally,  when  the  bamboos  had  given  out  sparks,  threw  his  hat  on 
to  the  platform,  shouting,  — 

"  That  is  good  for  a  dollar ; "  meaning  he  would  redeem  it 
at  the  price  named  after  the  exhibition  was  over. 

The  Professor  frowned,  and  observed,  "  My  son,  do  not  be 
so  impulsive.     Such  an  act  is  not  dignified." 

The  boy's  face  flushed;  and  he  murmured,  "Thought,  after 
whacking  each  other  like  that,  the  poor  fellows  ought  to  have 
some  little  encouragement." 

The  entertainment  terminated  with  a   passage-at-arms   be- 


HAKODATE. 


7^1 


tvveen  the  master  of  the  ceremonies  and  four  of  his  pupils,  which 
afforded  the  greatest  amusement  to  the  young  Americans. 

As  the  party  quitted  the  building,  they  noticed  a  bird  perched 
on  the  neighboring  fence,  making  a  great  chatter. 

"That  is  a  karasii''  (crow),  said  Oto.  "They  are  great 
thieves,  and  are  quite  common  in  this  island." 

"We  have  them  at  home,"  said  Johnnie.  "  I  kept  a  tame 
one  for  a  long  time.  He  stole  SalHe's  earrings,  and  gave  us  a 
good  deal  of  trouble.      Do  your  crows  do  such  things?" 

"  No,"  gravely  answered  Oto  :  "  they  are  not  civilized  enough 
for  that ;  "  adding,  "  They  con- 
fine their  attention  to  hunting 
for  food,  and  have  no  taste  for 
jewelry." 

They  returned  to  their 
friend's  house,  and  spent  the 
evening  in  superintending  the 
packing  of  provisions,  etc.,  for 
the  journey  through  the  in- 
terior. 

"  You  will   be   able   to   se- 
cure the  services  of  any  number  of  Ainos,"  remarked  Mr.  Yama- 
moto  :  "  they  are  very  docile,  and  can  carry  great  burdens." 

On  the  following  day  the  party  inspected  the  prison,  and 
were  very  much  interested  in  all  they  saw. 

The  inmates  work  at  various  trades,  do  engraving  and  paint- 
inor,  and  manufacture  perfumery,  candles,  soap,  and  furniture. 
They  appeared  to  be  very  comfortable,  receiv^ed  pay  for  all  their 
labor,  and  were  charged  for  the  cost  of  their  maintenance  ;  the 
balance  of  their  earnincrs  beinof  handed  to  them  when  their  sen- 
tences  expire.     The  prison   uniform   was  a  red  kiviono,  which 


YE20    CROW. 


m 


v-^C 


ri 


m 


il  mil 


mi. 


fe 


'  \  1 


mill 

If  ii 

t    mmf  m  f    m 


;:i 


[ij\ 


inm 


>''/  li 


HAKODATE.  39 

color  was  therefore  not  popular  among  their  fellow-townsmen. 
Certainly  no  nation  can  accuse  the  Japanese  of  treating  their 
prisoners  harshly. 

After  visiting  the  principal  temple,  the  Americans  returned 
to  Mr.  Yamamoto's  house,  and  devoted  their  time  to  writing 
home. 

"  The  Mitsu-bishi  steamer  leaves  to-morrow  for  Yokohama," 
said  the  Professor,  addressing  his  children.  "  It  will  be  your 
last  chance  for  many  a  long  day.  We  shall  probably  spend  two 
months  in  the  interior  :  so  write  to  the  ofood  folks  at  Cromlech, 
and  tell  them  they  need  not  expect  to  hear  from  you  before 
June  or  July." 

Upon  the  following  morning,  the  party  re-embarked  in  the 
man-of-war,  and  steamed  across  Volcano  Bay. 

"  We  shall  touch  at  one  or  two  places  before  we  land  you," 
said  the  captain.     "  I  have  to  visit  several  fishing-stations." 

Towards  noon  they  came  in  sight  of  a  number  of  boats, 
driving  sawara,  a  sort  of  Spanish  mackerel.  The  fishermen 
rowed  with  their  faces  to  the  bow,  and  yelled  vociferously,  hurl- 
ing great  stones,  and  splashing  the  water  in  order  to  head  the 
fish  in  the  required  direction.  When  this  was  accomplished, 
they  joined  two  nets  together,  and,  surrounding  the  school,  con- 
trived to  capture  the  whole  of  it. 

The  vessel  touched  at  Yubets,  where  there  was  quite  a  large 
fishing-station,  and  where  the  travellers  had  an  opportunity  of 
seeing  the  working  of  the  big  seines  used  in  capturing  buri. 
The  net  must  have  been  half  a  mile  lonof ;  and  it  was  draeeed 
towards  the  shore  by  stout  cables  attached  to  upright  windlasses 
worked  by  Japanese,  no  Ainos  being  employed  by  the  company 
who  owned  that  part  of  the  coast. 

As   the    ends    of  the    seine    neared    the   beach,    fishermen 


HAKODATE.  4 1 

Stationed  in  boats  inside  the  lines  rattled  bamboos  fastened  to 
the  top  of  poles,  shouted,  and  clapped  pieces  of  wood  together, 
in  order  to  drive  the  buri  into  the  body  of  the  net.  It  was  a 
most  animated  scene,  —  the  fish  jumping  in  schools  from  the 
water,  their  stomachs  flashing  in  the  sun  ;  the  boatmen  ply- 
ing their  instruments,  and  uttering  savage  cries ;  and  the  men 
at  the  capstan  straining  and  tugging  as  though  their  future 
happiness  depended  upon  their  exertions. 

The  voyagers  proceeded  from  Yubets  to  Mombets  ;  passing 
on  the  way  a  fleet  of  boats  engaged  in  catching  a  large  species 
of  blackfish,  which  were  dried  and  sent  to  Kobe  and  Tokio. 

One  of  the  craft  boarded  the  man-of-war ;  and  the  fisher- 
men presented  the  captain  with  several  buri,  that  flapped  about 
on  the  deck  as  though  desirous  of  returning  to  their  native 
element. 

Mombets  proved  to  be  a  mean-looking  place,  occupied  by 
Japanese  and  Aino  fishermen  in  about  equal  numbers. 

The  American  party  landed,  and  saw  the  process  of  drying 
buri,  and  making  oil  of  a  species  of  menhaden,  which  were 
tried  out  in  a  pan  set  over  a  charcoal-fire.  The  oil  spattered  in 
all  directions,  and  the  fish  were  put  in  the  pan  by  suspending 
them  from  the  end  of  a  long  bamboo  set  in  a  revolving  post. 
Drift-wood  was  used  as  fuel ;  but,  being  saturated  with  salt 
water,  it  did  not  burn  very  freely. 

A  long-tailed  rooster  was  perched  on  the  top  of  one  of  the 
houses,  sunning  and  drying  his  plumage. 

Mombets,  like  all  similar  villages,  was  mal-odorous,  and  did 
not  offer  any  inducements  for  the  party  to  linger  there. 

They  continued  along  the  coast,  which  was  lined  with  fish- 
ing-stations that  gave  abundant  evidence  of  the  perseverance, 
enterprise,  and  intelligence  of  the  Japanese. 


44  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OE   YEZO. 

The  ship  ran  close  enough  to  the  shore  to  enable  the 
travellers  to  witness  many  very  interesting  sights. 

At  one  place  an  enormous  seine  filled  with  katsu  was  being 
hauled  up  the  beach,  and  its  flapping  contents  thrown  into 
frames  placed  over  furnaces  fitted  with  pans  of  water  which 
were  steaming  at  a  great  rate.  When  the  katsu  were 
thoroughly  cooked,  they  were  boned,  and  the  flesh  dried  upon 
mats  spread  upon  the  sand. 

The  floats  on  the  nets  used  in  capturing  katsu  were  made 
in  the  shape  of  little  barrels,  and  were  buoyant  enough  to  pre- 
vent the  seines  from  being  drawn  under  water  by  the  powerful 
fish. 

"There  is  an  Aino  hunting!"  cried  Johnnie,  pointing  to 
a  shock-headed,  bearded  figure  upon  a  rocky  promontory. 
"  Look !  he  has  just  discharged  an  arrow,  and  is  watching  to 
see  if  he  has  secured  a  prize." 

The  savage  noticed  them,  then  hid  himself  among  the  bam- 
boo grass,  like  a  bashful  child,  and  did  not  re-appear  as  long  as 
the  vessel  was  in  sight. 

"You  will  see  enough  of  them  before  you  come  on  board 
again,"  said  the  captain.  "  For  my  part,  I  think  they  are  little 
better  than  animals.  That  fellow  could  drink  as  much  sake  as 
any  ten  Japanese." 

"Are  you  a  teetotaller,  captain?"  Innocently  inquired  Sallle. 

This  made  the  commander  smile  ;  and  he  answered,  — 

"  Oh,  no  !  I  only  recommend  it  for  the  Ainos.  Sake  does 
them  a  great  deal  of  harm :  for  myself,  I  take  it  medicinally." 

"  We  are  in  sight  of  Nikamori,"  reported  the  first  lieu- 
tenant. 

"  Will  you  land  this  evening?"  inquired  the  commander  of 
the  Professor.     "  I  fear  you  will  find  the   accommodation  very 


46 


THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


poor.  My  advice  is,  that  you  stay  with  me,  and  disembark 
early  to-morrow  morning." 

"  Very  many  thanks,"  said  the  Professor.  "  1  will  follow 
your  suggestion." 

When  the  anchor  was  let  go,  the  party  went  forw^ard,  and 
gazed  at  the  shore. 


"So  that  is  Nikamori,"  said  Fitz.  "Well,  it  is  a  rough- 
looking  spot,  and  I  do  not  see  any  Ainos." 

"Wait  a  while,"  said  Oto.  "Before  the  week  is  over  w^e 
shall  be  pretty  well  acquainted  with  the  bear-worshippers." 


A^^vt>    .,-^^s      Ni>rO^   •' 


48  THE  BEAR-U'ORSHirPERS   OE   YEZO. 


CHAPTER  III. 

AMONG    THE    AINOS. 

"  Every  one  has  a  certain  amount  of  native  conceit,  that  is  oftetitimes 
ridiculous  in  the  eyes  of  strangers.  The  Yezo-jin  say,  '  7'he  Ainos  will  always 
be  the  pride  of  the  sea  and  the  forest.''  " 

AT  daybreak  the  boys  were  aroused  by  the  first  Heutenant, 
who  said,  — 

"  If  you  want  to  witness  a  strange  custom,  come  on  deck: 
the  Ainos  are  welcomine  a  chief  who  has  been  absent  from 
his  tribe." 

"Can  my  mother  and  sister  see  the  ceremony?"  inquired 
Johnnie. 

"  Certainly,"  repHed  their  friend.  "  You  had  better  be 
quick. 

The  boys  hastily  put  on  their  kimono,  and  on  reaching  the 
deck  beheld  a  strange  sight.  Seven  Ainos  were  dancing  and 
shouting  on  the  beach,  and  were  brandishing  their  swords  in 
a  very  threatening  manner. 

"They  are  full  of  fight,"  said  Fitz. 

"  No,  indeed,"  replied  Sallie.  "  The  captain  says  that  is 
their  way  of  saluting  a  distinguished  person.  Do  you  see  the 
chief  over  there  in  the  boat  ? " 

The  boys  glanced  in  the  indicated  direction,  and  beheld 
two  native  craft,  in  the  nearer  of  which  a  grave-looking  man 
was  seated  behind  a  low  screen  that  rose  about  a  foot  above  the 
gunwale.      The  Ainos  who  accompanied   him  flourished  their 


so  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

weapons,  and  shouted  back  as  though  in  defiance ;  and  the 
rowers  paddled  with  one  hand,  and  gesticulated  with  the  other. 

Instead  of  landing  opposite  the  ship,  the  chief  ordered  his 
people  to  row  him  round  the  point. 

"They  are  very  timid,"  said  the  first  lieutenant.  "I  have 
seen  a  good  deal  of  them,  but  often  found  great  difficulty  in 
inducing  them  to  perform  their  rites  in  my  presence.  The 
farther  you  get  into  the  interior,  the  more  unsophisticated  and 
gentle  they  are." 

The  Ainos  on  the  shore  danced  out  of  sight,  and  those  in 
the  boats  rowed  as  though  anxious  to  hide  from  the  foreigners' 
gaze. 

"  I  call  that  a  shame,"  said  Sallie.  "  We  would  not  have 
done  them  any  harm  by  looking  at  the  ceremony." 

"  They  have  a  perfect  right  to  do  as  they  please,"  said  prac- 
tical Johnnie,  who  was  watching  some  gulls  through  a  telescope. 
"  Hallo!  what  is  that  on  the  water?" 

"A  sleeping  seal,"  replied  the  officer.  "It  will  not  be 
many  moments  before  you  see  an  Aino  put  out  and  capture 
him.  That  kind  of  seal  is  called  wimeo.  The  gulls  like  to 
swim  round  it,  I  suppose  on  account  of  the  little  fishes,  that, 
strangely  enough,  accompany  the  large  one." 

"The  seal's  eyes  are  open,"  remarked  Fitz. 

"  Yes,  but  it  is  fast  asleep,"  said  the  officer,  bringing  his 
telescope  to  bear  upon  the  creature.  "  True,  it  moves  its  tail ; 
but,  without  doubt,  it  is  not  awake." 

"Hallo!  here  comes  a  boat,"  cried  Fitz,  as  a  canoe  was 
rowed  swiftly  round  the  point.  "  How  did  they  know  about 
the  fish?" 

"  There  are  a  hundred  pairs  of  Aino  eyes  watching  from  the 
beach,"    said  the  lieutenant.      "The  Yezo-jin    have  a  strange 


AMONG   THE  AIXOS. 


51 


superstition.  During  the  fishing--seaf^on  the  fishermen  drink 
no  sake,  keep  their  boats  very  clean,  and  worship  the  sea-god 
and  god  of  vessels  by  offering  them  sake  and  iiiaho.  When 
they  start  out  to  hunt  the  seal,  they  row  very  quietly  ;  while  the 
wife  and  children  at  home  sit  perfectly  still,  and  do  not  make 
the  usual  noise  when  eatins:,  in  order  not  to  scare  the  e^me," 

"  Look  at  them,"  said  Sallie  :  "  one  has  laid  down  his  pad- 
dles, and  is  standing  up  in  the  bow,  balancing  a  double-headed 
harpoon  with  a  line  attached  to  it." 


SLEEPING    SEAL. 


By  that  time  every  one  on  board  was  watchin'g  the  hunters, 
who,  quite  unconscious  of  the  interest  they  were  exciting,  had 
approached  to  within  sixty  feet  of  their  prey. 

The  harpooner  stood  quite  motionless,  leaving  his  compan- 
ions to  manage  the  craft.  Suddenl)'  he  launched  his  weapon, 
then  grasped  the  line  with  both  hands.  The  spear  quivered  as 
it  darted  towards  the  seal,  which  it  struck  and  awoke.  In 
another  instant  the  fish  sounded,  —  i.  e.,  dived  to  the  bottom, — 
and  the  Aino  hauled  in  the  shaft  of  his  harpoon. 

"The  barbed  points  are  broken  off,"  said  Johnnie.  "He 
has  lost  his  prize." 


5^ 


THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


"  Indeed  he  has  not,"  answered  the  lieutenant.  "  The  bone 
heads  are  poisoned,  and  are  buried  deeply  in  the  body  of  the 
wiinco.  In  a  few  moments  the  creature,  thoroughl)-  paralyzed, 
will  lloat  to  the  surface.  They  will  have  a  great  feast  o\'er  their 
capture." 

His  information  proved  to  be  correct,  though  it  was  half  an 
hour  before  the  fish  was  secured. 

The  Ainos  made  a  tremendous  fuss  over  landing  the  seal, 
and  welcomed  the  harpooner  with  joyful  howls. 


SPEARING    A    SEAL. 


"  I  think  we  had  better  disembark,"  said  the  Professor.  "  It 
is  nearly  eight  o'clock." 

"  You  must  breakfast  first,"  said  Capt.  Imadate,  who  over- 
heard the  remark.  "  Will  you  please  come  down  to  the  cabin  ? 
every  thing  is  ready." 

About  nine  o'clock  they  entered  the  commander's  gig,  and 
were  rowed  to  the  beach,  upon  which  some  Japanese  and  Ainos, 
who  had  been  out  fishing  for  menhaden,  were  landing  their 
spoils,  and  were  shouting  and  laughing,  like  a  lot  of  school- 
boys, as  they  drew  in  the  net,  and  deposited  it  upon  mats  spread 
on  the  sand. 


54 


THE   BEAR-U'ORSniPPEKS   OF   YEZO. 


"  Why,  they  use  handbarrovvs  just  hke  our  Gloucester  fisher- 
men, and  hang  their  nets  on  racks,"  remarked  SalHe. 

"They  know  their  business,"  said  the  Professor,  "The 
party  appear  to  have  had  very  good  luck.  I  should  calculate 
there  are  several  million  of  fish  in*  that  net.     What  do  )'ou  sa)', 

Fitz  ?  " 

"  I  have  not  brought  my  soro-ban  " 
(counting-board),  "  sir,"  demurely  an- 
swered the  boy.  "  Never  was  good 
at  guessing  numbers." 

His  father  frowned  and  said,  "  Do 
not  be  frivolous.  Estimate  the  length 
and  breadth  of  the  net,  the  proportion 
of  one  of  the  fishes  to  the  averaq-e 
heioht  of  the  mass "  —  Then  he 
suddenly  stopped,  and  regarded  an 
Aino,  who  had  approached  unob- 
served, and  who  looked  as  though 
he  had  an  important  communication  to  make. 

The  savage  saluted  by  extending  his  hands  and  waving 
them  inward ;  after  which  he  said,  pointing  his  forefinger  at  the 
Professor,  — 

"  Cappin,  please  —  giv^e  two  shews." 

"Oh!  you  speak  English,  do  you,  my  friend?"  blandly 
answered  the  Professor.  "  I  was  not  aware  that  you  wore 
shoes." 

Fitz  chuckled,  and  whispered,  — 

"  He  does  not  want  shoes,  sir.  He  Is  evidently  tobacco- 
hunting.  Don't  you  understand?  he  wants  two  chews,  —  one 
for  himself  and  the  other  for  his  chief." 

The    Aino's    nostrils    distended,  the    corners  of  his  mouth 


PLEASE    GIVE    TWO    SHEWS." 


AMONG    THE   AINOS. 


55 


curved  upwards,  and  he  smiled  like  die  end  man  of  a  minstrel 
troupe. 

"  Where  is  our  interpreter?  "  asked  the  Professor,  who  was 
most  anxious  to  improve  the  occasion.  "  I  wish  to  explain  to 
this  poor  creature  the  injurious  effects  of  nicotine  upon  the 
system.  The  governor  of  Hakodate  promised  we  should  be  met 
here  by  some  one  who  could  talk  the  Aino  language." 

Oto  spoke  to  a  custom-house  officer  who  was  inspecting 
their  baggage,  and  the  official  replied  by  shouting  to  a  group 
of  females,  — 

"  Habo-obari,  come  here  !  " 

Upon  hearing  this,  a  young  woman  advanced  toward  the 
foreigners,  and,  kneeling  upon  the  sand,  bowed  respectfully. 

"  She    can    speak   Japanese,"  said  the  man,   "  and  will  ac- 
company you  into  the  interior;" 
adding,   "  Rise,    Habo,   and   an- 
swer questions." 

The  woman,  who  was  \'ery 
gentle,  sat  up  on  her  heels,  and 
murmured  in  Japanese,  "  I  am 
much  ashamed.  I  know  so  little,  _^\ 
but  shall  be  very  happy  to  do 
any  thing  for  you." 

The  young  Americans  were 
delighted  to  be  able  to  talk  with 
her :  so  while  the  official  was 
putting  the  custom-house  mark  on  their  baggage,  they  plied 
Habo  with  questions,  and  soon  learned  something  of  her  his- 
tory. She  said,  "  I  w^as  taught  by  a  Japanese  lady  in  Hakodate, 
and  would  have  remained  there  until  now  ;  but  my  parents 
wanted  me  to  marry  a  chief,  so  I  came  home  again." 


'OUR    INTERPRETER. 


56 


THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


"  What  is  the  matter  with  your  mouth  ?  "  said  Mrs.  Jewett. 

"  I  have  been  tattooed,"  she  replied  :  "  that  is  the  custom 
of  our  people." 

"  How  is  it  done  ?"  inquired  Sallie,  regarding  her  pityingly. 

"  My  mother  scratched  the  lines  round  my  mouth  with  a 
knife,  and  rubbed  soot  into  them  :  then  the  marks  were  washed 
with  an  infusion  of  the  bark  of  a  tree,  which  made  them  blue. 
My  hands  are  ornamented  in  the  same  way." 

"  Did  it  not  hurt  you  ?"  inquired  the  young  lady. 


TATTOOING     ONI    AINO    WOMAN'S    HAND. 


"  Not  much,"  she  replied,  drawing  up  the  sleeve  of  her 
Jdniono,  and  exhibiting  her  arm  :  "  my  decoration  is  not  all 
hnished.     Every  Aino  woman  has  this  adornment." 

"Well,"  murmured  Fitz,  speaking  in  English,  and  critically 
inspecting  the  lines,  "  I  should  call  it  a  disfigurement." 

Habo  took  a  great  liking  to  Sallie,  and,  in  order  to  show  her 
good-will,  offered  to  tattoo  her  mouth. 

"  No,  thank  you,"  answered  the  young  lady.  "  I  am  much 
obliged  to  you,  all  the  same." 

After  a  while  Capt.  Imadate,  who  had  been  detained  on 
board  the  ship,  joined  them,  and  said,  — 


AMONG   THE  AINOS.  57 

"  I  cannot  understand  how  it  is  the  officials  from  Kawa- 
nishi  are  not  here  to  receive  you.  I  will  despatch  a  messenger 
to  ascertain  the  cause  of  their  non-appearance." 

While  he  was  speaking,  two  Japanese  officers,  dressed  in  dark 
blue  uniforms,  rode  over  the  ridge,  and  approached  the  visitors. 

After  dismounting  they  saluted,  and  said,  — 

"  We  are  instructed  to  receive  a  foreign  professor  and  his 
family,  and  to  conduct  them  to  Kawanishi.  Are  you  the  gen- 
tleman ? " 

Professor  Jewett  answered  in  the  affirmative :  then  he  was 
informed  that  ponies  were  on  their  way  for  the  use  of  his  party, 
and  that  accommodation  had  been  prepared  for  them  at 
Kawanishi. 

The  animals  appeared  about  ten  o'clock  ;  and  with  them 
came  sixty  Ainos,  some  of  whom  were  as  hairy  as  bears. 
These,  of  course,  excited  the  boys'  curiosity ;  and  they  asked  a 
hundred  questions  through  Habo,  who  said,  — 

"  They  never  feel  the  cold,  and  live  to  be  very  aged.  Some 
Ainos  have  only  a  little  hair  on  their  necks,  arms,  and  chests : 
others  are  covered  with  it  like  a  garment.  W^e  consider  such 
a  growth  to  be  very  beautiful." 

"  There  is  no  accounting  for  taste,"  said  Fitz.  "  Why," 
nodding  at  the  old  fellow  who  had  begged  for  tobacco,  "  here 
is  Deacon  Andrews.  Father  never  delivered  that  lecture  on  the 
injurious  effects  of  nicotine.  Ask  the  gentleman  why  he  waits 
round  here." 

The  woman  spoke  to  the  man,  then  replied  to  Fitz,  — 

"  He  says  he  is  from  your  honorable  country.  He  is  a  bad 
person." 

"  Does  he  mean  to  assert  that  he  is  an  American?"  queried 
the  boy. 


58  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OE   YEZO. 

"  He  was  taken  from  Hakodate  a  loncj  distance  across  the 
sea,"  said  Habo  ;  "  and  he  remained  away  until  he  was  almost 
forgotten.  Since  his  return  he  has  generally  been  in  prison. 
People  said  that  he  acquired  vicious  habits  in  the  foreign 
country.  No  one  knows  where  he  went  or  how  he  earned  his 
livmg. 

"  I  guess  he  went  to  New  York,  and  ran  for  alderman," 
gravely  answered  Johnnie.  "  He  has  a  hungry,  unsatisfied  look. 
Tell  him  that  none  of  us  use  tobacco  in  any  form." 

"Come,  Sallie,  here  is  your  pony,"  said  the  Professor: 
"  you  will  have  to  hold  on,  for  there  is  no  side-saddle.  Fitz, 
you  take  the  black  one  ;  and  Johnnie  the  piebald,  next  to  him." 

They  said  sdionara  (farewell)  to  the  captain,  then,  mounting 
their  steeds,  rode  up  the  sand-ridge,  and  found  themselves  in 
a  swampy  tract,  entirely  destitute  of  roads,  which  necessitated 
the  party's  proceeding  in  Indian  file. 

The  officers  from  Kawanishi  acted  as  their  guides ;  and  the 
Ainos  led  the  ponies,  and  kept  them  at  a  trot. 

Towards  evening  they  forded  a  river,  and  began  to  ascend 
the  mountains. 

At  sunset  they  reached  a  government  establishment  where 
their  servants  were  enabled  to  prepare  supper  in  American 
fashion. 

"There  are  lots  of  Ainos  in  this  place,"  remarked  Oto. 
"The  officers  from  Kawanishi  have  crone  to  see  the  chief  of 
the  tribe  who  inhabit  this  district.  If  you  like,  we  will  drop  in 
upon  them  later  in  the  evening." 

"  Certainly,"  said  the  Professor.  "  Hark  to  the  sound  of 
that  musical   instrument !     I    believe  the   natives   are   orivincr  a 

o  o 

concert." 

When  supper  was  over,  Professor  Jewett,  Fitz,  Johnnie,  and 


AMONG   THE  AINOS. 


59 


Oto  quitted  the  house,  leaving  IMrs.  Jewett  and  Sallie  to  talk 
with  Habo. 

"  Yonder  are  the  officers,"  said  Johnnie,  pointing  to  an  Aino 
hut.     "  Let  us  look  in  at  the  window,  and  watch  them." 

"That  would  offend  the  Yezo-jin,"  said  Oto.  "They  never 
do  such  a  thing,  or  throw  refuse  out  of  a  window.  You  must 
respect  their  superstitions." 

"  Please  come  in,"  said  one  of  the  officers.  "This  chief  is 
very  anxious  to  entertain  you." 


AINO    HUT. 


The  party  entered,  and  beheld  eight  Ainos,  seated  on  new 
mats  that  had  been  spread  upon  the  ground  in  honor  of  their 
guests,  who,  in  the  absence  of  chairs,  had  been  accommodated 
with  blocks  of  wood. 

Five  lacquer  boxes,  containing  food,  were  placed  upon  the 
floor ;  and  a  woman,  whose  head  was  tied  with  a  white  fillet, 
was  pouring  out  sake  from  a  long-handled  nagaye  (ladle). 

The  chief  requested  the  Americans  to  join  his  guests,  so 
the  Professor  said,  — 

"  Let  us  seat  ourselves  on  this  heap  of  mats,  and  watch  the 


6o 


THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


proceedings.     I   suppose   this  is  what   the  natives  consider  an 
aristocratic  gathering." 

When  they  were  accommodated,  and  the  lacquer  cups  had 
been  filled  with  sake,  the  Ainos  raised  their  vessels,  which  they 
waved  towards  them  three  times,  then  took  their  carved  sake- 
sticks,  dipped  them  in  the  wine,  and  made  formal  libations  to 
the  inaJio.     They  lifted  their  mustaches  with  the  sticks,  so  as 


AINOS    ENTERTAINING    JAPANESE    OFFICIALS. 


not  to  saturate  them  with  the  sake,  and  drained  the  cups  with 
a  sucking  noise,  considered  by  them  to  be  the  height  of  polite- 
ness. The  Ainos  did  not  content  themselves  with  a  single  cup, 
but  drank  a  great  number  in  rapid  succession. 

In  vain  the  Japanese  officials  endeavored  to  keep  up  with 
their  entertainers ;  for,  though  intellectually  by  far  their  supe- 
riors, they  lacked  the  muscular  vigor  and  strong  heads  of  the 
savages,  and  were  soon  compelled  to  set  down  their  cups  un- 
tasted. 


AMONG   THE  AINOS. 


6i 


The  chief  made  his  graceful  sakitation,  then  said, — 

"  My  old  grandfather  will  sing,  and  play  on  the  kaT 

A  woman  then  entered,  carrying  a  musical  instrument  about 
four  feet  in  length,  which  was  passed  round  for  the  inspection 
of  the  foreigners.  It  had  five  strings,  made  from  the  fibre  of 
a  plant  called  vwsJia- 
kiiia,  and  a  bridge  of 
whale- tooth  ivory. 

"It  looks  as  though 
it  had  been  whitded  out 
with  a  jack-knife,"  said 
Fitz.  "  I  suppose  they 
think  it  a  wonderful 
piece  of  workmanship. 
It  is  heavy  enough  for 
a  war- club." 

"The  decoration  is 
severely  simple,"  re- 
marked his  father. 
"  These  archaic  forms 
are  most  interesting. 
Evidently  the  ka  is  of  jS 
very  ancient  origin,  all 
pictures  of  primitive  musical  instruments  being  long  and  narrow. 
I  wonder  whether  the  chief  would  sell  this." 

Upon  his  speech  being  interpreted  to  their  host,  the  latter 
replied,  — 

"It  is  the  property  of  my  grandfather :  he  would  not  part 
with  it  for  any  money.     Here  he  comes." 

As  he  spoke  an  old  Aino  entered  the  hut,  saluted  every  one 
gracefully,  and,  after  he  had  been  served  with  sake,  took  the  ka, 


MOSHA-KINA. 


62 


THE  BEAR-U'ORSIIIPPERS    OF   YEZO. 


M 


and  beg-an  to  play  a  weird  air  in  a  minor  key. 
At  intervals  he  would  open  his  mouth,  and  utter 
a  curious  noise  which  beo'an  like  the  howlincr 
of  a  dog,  and  ended  with  a  sharp  barking  note. 

"  We  had  a  puppy  that  used  to  sing  like 
that,"  said  the  mirth-loving  Fitz.  "  He  always 
performed  when  Sallie  practised  on  the  piano." 

Oto  smiled, 
,and  replied  in 
Japanese,  — 

"  These  Ai- 
nos  are  remark- 
ably like  dogs." 

"  DoQTs  are 
very  good   creatures,   after  all,"  said  Johnnie  ; 
adding,    "Upon  what  are  we  sitting?" 

Oto  lifted  the  mat,  and  found  that  they  had 
been  resting  upon  the  body  of  the  seal  they 
had  seen  caught  by  the  Ainos.  The  fish  had 
been  dressed,  and  prepared  for  transport  by  se- 
curing its  fins  to  its  tail,  so  as  to  form  a  loop 
through  which  a  pole  could  be  passed  to 
carry  it. 

The  chief  explained  that  the  ivitneo  was  in 
his  charge  to  forward  into  the  interior. 

"  Oh  !  he  runs  an  express-ofifice,"  said  Fitz. 
"  I  hope  we  have  not  damaged  the  package." 

When  this  was  translated  to  the  Aino,  he 
replied,  — 

"  My  storehouse  was  burned  down  yester- 
day ;  and  I  was  afraid  the  rats  would  get  at  the 


AMONG   THE  AINOS. 


seal,  so  I  brought  it  indoors.  I  think  it  is  very  probable  you 
will  eat  some  of  the  delicious  flesh,  as  it  is  going  to  the  chief  at 
Kawanishi." 


SEAL  PREPARED  FOR  TRANSPORTATION. 


"  Not  if  I  know  myself,"  murmured  Fitz.     "  I  shall  have  to 
be  very  hungry  before  I  partake  of  it." 

"  Come,  boys,"  said  the  Professor,  "  it  is  time  we  returned 
to  our  hotel.     Your  mother  and  sister  will  be  anxious  about  us." 

The  Ainos  rose,  and 
conducted  their  guests 
to  the  door  ;  and,  as  the 
foreigners  took  their 
leave,  the  savages  made 
their  graceful  salutation, 
and  cried,  — 

"  Saramba  !  Saram- 
ba  !  "  (good-by). 

"What  is  that  light  flashing  to  the  northward?"   inquired 
Johnnie. 

"It  is  from  a  burning  mountain,"  answered  Oto.     "  Yezo  is 


AINO    STOREHOUSE 


64  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

famous   for  its  volcanoes.     You  will   see   several   active   ones 
during  your  journey." 

They  found  Mrs.  Jewett   and  Sallie  fast  asleep,  and  Habo 
watching  them  like  a  faithful  animal. 


KAWANISHL  65 


CHAPTER   IV. 


KAWANISHL 


"  Cottfuciiis  said,  ^Within  the  four  seas,  all  men  are  brolliers  ;  '  Hoiwithstanrling 
which,  one  does  not  care  to  acknowledge  the  Aino  as  a  relative^ 

THE  travellers  rose  very  early,  and  started  amid  the  saluta- 
tions and  murmured  "  saramba  "  of  the  Ainos. 

"There  is  the  wunco  we  are  to  have  for  dinner  to-da),"  said 
Johnnie,  pointing  to  the  seal,  that,  slung  on  a  pole,  was  carried 
by  two  sturdy  savages.  "  Come  along,  Sallie  :  I  will  race  you 
for  a  dollar." 

"No,  thank  you,"  replied  his  sister.  "The  road  is  not  wide 
enough  for  that  sort  of  amusement." 

As  the  party  progressed,  they  became  soaked  through  with 
the  drippings  from  the  trees,  and  the  tall  bamboo  grass  that 
overhung  the  path.  On  either  side  the  forest  was  a  wall  of 
herbage,  knitted  together  with  enormous  trailing  plants,  inter- 
spersed with  gigantic  beckonoshita  (dock),  some  of  the  stems  of 
which  were  eight  feet  high,  and  had  leaves  two  )-ards  in  di- 
ameter. 

In  one  spot  was  a  clearing  in  which  stood  an  Aino  man  and 
two  women,  one  of  the  latter  bashfully  hiding  herself  beneath 
a  leaf  that  covered  her  like  an  extinguisher. 

"  This  plant  is  called  the  nadosmia  yaponica''  said  Pro- 
fessor Jewett,  reining  in  his  pony ;  "  and  I  should  think  it  is  the 
largest  of  its  species." 

"  Please    go    on,  husband,"  said    his  wife.     "  The    soakage 


66 


THE   BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


from  the  trees  has  chilled  me.     I  shall  be  glad  when  we  arrive 
at  our  destination." 

"  I  do  not  call  this  a  road,"  grumbled  Johnnie. 


BECKONOSHITA    (GIGANTIC    DOCK). 


"  No,  it  is  a  dog's  track  in  a  howling  wilderness,"  cried  the 
merry  Fitz.     "I   have   all  sorts  of  insects  in  my  clothes;  and 


KAWANISHI.  07 

some  of  them  nip,  I  tell  you.  One  cannot  expect  macadamized 
roads  and  Pullman  cars  in  Yezo." 

"That  is  true,"  cheerfully  responded  Sallie.  "Remember, 
we  promised  papa,  that,  come  what  might,  we  would  not 
grumble." 

They  halted  at  a  place  called  Holaiku  kotan,  a  mere  collec- 
tion of  huts  in  a  clearing,  where  they  were  welcomed  by  a 
\enerable  savage,  who  was  said  to  be  a  hundred  years  old. 
As  no  one  seemed  to  know  his  name,  the  boys  addressed  him 
as  "  Uncle  Remus,"  which  appeared  to  do  just  as  well  as  any 
other. 

"  How  he  chuckles !  "  said  Fitz.  "  One  would  think  he 
understood  all  we  said,  I  wonder  whether  he  ever  took  a 
bath." 

Habo  was  summoned  ;  and  soon  the  patriarch  showed,  that, 
though  the  frosts  of  many  winters  had  whitened  his  hair,  his 
intelligence,  w^hat  there  was  of  it,  was  unimpaired.  He  said 
that  he  was  very  poor,  and  would  have  no  objection  to  taste  a 
little  sake.  In  the  absence  of  wine,  Fitz  mixed  him  a  draught 
of  Jamaica-ginger  and  water;  which  the  old  boy  pronounced 
pirika  (good),  and  in  return  offered  the  young  Americans  some 
liquor  made  from  the  root  of  a  tree.  Upon  their  declining  his 
gift,  he  drained  the  contents  of  the  bowl,  wiped  his  mouth  with 
the  back  of  his  hand,  and  remarked, — 

"  It  is  all  the  same  :  I  have  drunk  for  you,  and  you  will  get 
the  benefit." 

By  this  he  meant  that  the  gods  would  accept  it  as  an 
offering. 

When  they  parted  from  him,  he  chuckled  worse  than  ever, 
and,  leaning  on  his  staff  and  against  the  door  of  his  hut, 
watched  them  until  they  were  out  of  sight. 


68 


THE  BEAR -WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


The  sun  had  dried  the  undergrowth,  and  rendered  the 
atmosphere  as  hot  and  moist  as  that  of  a  forcing-house  for 
plants :  travelHng  was  therefore  fatiguing,  and  the  Americans 
were  heartily  glad  when  they  arrived  at  Kawanishi,  where  they 
found  quite  a  settlement  of  Japanese  and  Ainos. 


uncle  remus. 
[from  photograph  loaned  by  prof,  munroe.] 


They  were  welcomed  b}'  the  assistant  governor  of  the  Ken, 
who  proved  to  be  an  old  friend  of  Oto's. 

After  enjoying  the  luxury  of  a  warm  bath,  they  dined,  then 
accompanied  their  host  into  the  kitchen,  where  they  found  Aino 
servants  preparing  food  for  the  various  officials  of  the  estab- 
lishment. 

"You  see,"  said  their  host,  "we  have  trained  the  natives  to 


KA  WANISHI. 


69 


cook  in  Japanese  style,  and  the)-  are  really  quite  expert  at  it. 
That  big  iron  pot  is  suspended  over  the  fire  in  Aino  fashion, 
otherwise  every  thing  is  Japanese.  Yonder  is  the  chief  cook, 
who  is  handing  a  bowl  of  rice  to  my  interpreter.  The  man 
behind  him  is  stirring  grated  fish  and  bean-flour  into  a  paste, 
and  the  woman  at  the  back  is  washing  the  roe  of  a  koi  in  a 


JAPANESE    KITCHEN    AT    KAWANISHI 


sieve.  The  women  on  the  left  are  sorting  rice,  which  that  hairy 
Aino  is  hulling.  He  is  what  we  term  in  Japan  a  komc-tsuki,  and 
is  a  very  powerful  fellow.  Another  servant  has  just  taken  some 
dried  salmon  from  a  bale  of  the  fish.  He  will  cut  it  into  shreds, 
and  serve  it  to  the  servants  with  their  rice.  You  observe  that 
Aino  in  the  back  kitchen  :  he  is  feeding  the  furnace  under  a 
boiler  in  which  we  ste^m  cakes.  That  dog  is  a  very  good  one 
to  keep  watch  :   he  never  allows  any  strange'  Aino  to  enter  the 


70  TJJE   BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

premises.  All  our  servants  have  adopted  the  Japanese  custom 
of  taking  hot  baths,  and  are  very  faithful  and  honest." 

The  officer  evidently  liked  the  natives,  and  was  well  posted 
with  rcQ-ard  to  their  manners  and  customs.  He  conducted  his 
guests  into  the  reception-room,  where  they  saw  several  pictures 
depicting  scenes  of  Aino  life. 

"This,"  he  said,  indicating  a  painting  representing  a  daiviio 
(great  lord)  entertaining  four  Yezo-jin,  "  represents  a  very 
curious  incident.  The  Ainos  had  been  somewhat  unrul\',  and 
had  not  paid  tribute  to  the  lord  of  Matsumai.  Instead  of 
punishing  them,  he  inquired  what  kind  of  food  they  liked  best ; 
and  was  inlormed  that  they  greatly  esteemed  a  sort  of  cake 
made  of  sea-weed,  venison,  ground  millet,  and  dried  koi  cooked 
in  whale-oil." 

"Sort  of  Yezo  fish-ball,"  suggested  Fitz. 

"Yes,"  answered  their  host.  "The  daiviio  told  his  chief 
counsellor  to  have  a  number  of  these  prepared,  and  to  summon 
the  disaffected  chiefs.  Matsumai  received  them  seated  behind 
a  curtain  bearing  his  crest,  three  diamonds  forming  a  lozenge. 
When  the  zc7i  (trays)  were  brought  in,  the  chief  counsellor 
said,  — 

"  '  Your  lord  bids  you  eat  with  him.' 

"  Upon  the  Ainos  discovering  that  the  noble  condescended 
to  partake  of  their  favorite  dish,  they  stroked  their  beards,  and 
exclaimed,  — 

"  '  Pirika  ! '  (good),  '  great  is  the  condescension  of  our  lord  : 
after  this  we  consider  ourselves  like  the  sand  beneath  his  feet.'  " 

"Well,  it  is  an  interesting  picture,"  said  Fitz  ;  "and  the  old 
Ainos  appear  to  be  tickled  to  death.  But  the  daiinio  does  not 
seem  to  relish  the  mess  :  he  looks  like  one  of  our  w^ard  poli- 
ticians at  a  cheap  dinner  given  to  his  follow^ers." 


72  THE  BEAR -WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

"What  does  this  second  picture  represent?"  inquired  Sallie. 
"  Are  not  those  ships  meant  for  foreign  men-of-war  ? " 

"The  hull  of  the  nearest  one  appears  to  be  built  of  bricks," 
said  Fitz. 

"That  is  an  historical  scene,"  answered  the  officer.  "  Dur- 
ing the  Japanese  period  of  Kwan-sei  (A.  D.  1789),  some 
Russian  ships  appeared  off  this  island,  and  caused  great  con- 
sternation among  the  natives,  who  feared  they  were  about  to  be 
seized,  and  carried  into  slavery.  When  the  foreigners  landed, 
the  Ainos  attacked  them  with  bows  and  arrows  ;  whereupon 
the  Russians  retreated  to  their  vessels,  and  have  never  re- 
turned.    They  were  evidently  afraid  of  the  Yezo-jin." 

"  I  do  not  believe  it  was  that,"  said  Johnnie.  "  I  believe  the 
Ainos  mistook  a  party  landing  in  search  of  water,  for  invaders ; 
and  that  there  is  more  fighting  in  this  picture  than  there  was  in 
reality." 

"  What  is  this  third  scene  ?  "  asked  Sallie. 

"That  depicts  the  annual  distribution  of  allowances  to  the 
Yezo-jin  in  the  olden  time.  The  Ainos  then  belonged  to  the 
daimios  ot  their  provinces,  and  half  of  the  bear  and  other 
skins  they  procured  in  hunting  were  paid  as  tribute  to  their 
lords.  In  return  for  this,  they  received  protection,  and  once  a 
year  were  given  allowances  of  rice,  tobacco,  and  sake,  which 
were  regulated  according  to  the  offerings  made  by  each  chief. 
On  the  appointed  day  they  had  audience  with  the  represent- 
ative of  their  daimio,  who  was  accompanied  by  six  witnesses 
from  the  Shogun's  government,  two  interpreters,  and  a  num- 
ber of  retainers  of  the  lord  of  Matsumai,  who  saw  that  each 
chief  received  his  allowance. 

"The  official  seated  himself  on  a  mat  inside  the  house,  his 
secretary  knelt  upon  his  left,  the  witnesses  ranged  themselves 


^w 


74 


THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


against  the  wall,  and  the  interpreters  took  up  their  positions  on 
the  boarded  space  in  front  of  the  edifice.  Then  the  Ainos  ad- 
vanced, and  knelt  upon  mats  they  had  brought  with  them  ;  the 
four  principal  chiefs  being  in  the  front  row,  and  the  others 
according  to  their  rank." 

"Those    are  the   head  chiefs  in  the  decorative-art  kimono, 
are  they  not?"  said  Sallie. 


DISTRIBUTING    ALLOWANCES    TO    AINOS. 


The  officer  smiled,  and  continued,  — 

"  After  the  Ainos  had  saluted,  the  secretary  took  a  docu- 
ment from  a  sambo  upon  his  right,  and  proceeded  to  read  the 
list  of  awards  In  this  manner :  — 

"  '  Ipocash-ku,  two  hundred  skins;  two  bales  of  rice,  one  tub 
of  sake,  and  two  bundles  of  tobacco. 

"  '  Kanta-chip,  one  hundred  and  fifty  skins;  one  bale  of  rice, 
one  tub  of  sake^  and  one  bundle  of  tobacco.' 


KA  WANISHI. 


75 


"  Each  announcement  was  translated  to  the  Ainos,  who 
saluted  and  howled  by  way  of  approval. 

"When  the  ceremony  was  over,  they  retired  to  their  homes, 
and,  seating  themselves  upon  new  mats,  drank  to  the  gods  and 
their  lord  ;  generally  finishing  up  with  a  fai-fu-kajH,  or  bird- 
dance.  Here,"  producing  a  book,  "  is  a  representation  of  the 
ceremony." 


TAl-FU-KARI    DANCE. 


"  There  are  four  ladies  engaged  in  the  amusement,"  re- 
marked Johnnie.     "  Do  they  indulge  in  sake?'' 

"  Yes,"  said  their  host.  "  The  Aino  women  drink  as  much 
as  the  men.  The)'  serve  the  wine,  and  always  secure  their 
share." 

"  Please  tell  us  about  the  dance,"  said  Sallie,  who  was 
anxious  to  learn  the  manners  and  customs  of  the  Yezo-jin. 

"  The  vessel  filled  with  i-<?/v  is  placed  on  a  clean  mat,  two 
cups  on  rests  and  sticks  being  set  before  it.     Then  the  Ainos 


'je  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

squat  round  and  drink  until  they  feci  in  the  humor  to  dance, 
when  they  rise,  clap  their  hands,  and  begin  to  sing,  — 

*  I  am  a  bird,  and  can  fly 
Over  the  river  and  fire  : 
I  am  a  god.' 

"They  caper  round  and  round,  flap  their  arms  as  a  crow 
does  its  wings,  and  imitate  the  birds  ;  until,  ov^ercome  by  the 
violent  exercise  and  the  sake,  they  fall  down  and  go  to  sleep." 

"  How  degraded  they  are !  "  said  Sallie.  "  I  think  they 
ought  to  be  taught  better." 

"  I  reckon  a  good  many  of  our  people  are  very  much  like 
them,"  said  Fitz.     ''Their  dances  appear  to  be  harmless." 

"  Yes,"  said  Oto  :  "  they  are  not,  like  some  foreigners,  in  the 
habit  of  shooting  one  another  by  way  of  a  climax  to  their 
amusement." 

That  evening  they  went  to  see  Habo's  father,  whom  they 
found  busily  engaged  whittling  out  inaJio  (god-sticks).  He 
was  crouching  by  the  side  of  his  hut,  against  which  rested  his 
bows ;  and  he  had  a  sword,  and  a  box  of  arrow-poison,  on  the 
ground  near  h.n:^. 

Habo  saluted  him  respectfully ;  but  he  did  not  condescend 
to  reply,  or  to  take  any  notice  of  his  American  visitors. 

"  He  does  not  seem  well  to-day,"  she  whispered.  "  He  is 
very  old,  and  has  pains  in  his  bones  which  spoil  his  temper. 
When  he  feels  very  badly,  he  makes  inaJio,  which  occupation 
generally  cures  him.  The  bear-skin  he  wears  came  from  a 
hokuyak  he  killed  two  winters  ago." 

"  I  suppose  he  is  too  sick  even  to  drink  sake?''  mischiev- 
ously remarked  Fitz. 

The  old  fellow's  eyes  twinkled  ;  and,  guessing  what  was  said, 
he  ceased  his  occupation,  and  saluted  his  visitors,  saying, — 


KA  WANISHI. 


77 


"  I  always  feel  better  after  I  have  emptied  a  cup." 

Habo  went  to  a  neighboring  house,  and  returned  with  a 
bowl  of  the  coveted  liquid,  which  her  father  absorbed  without 
so  much  as  winking. 

Poor  Habo  meekly  received  the  cup,  and  turning  to  Mrs. 
Jewett,  gently  remarked, . — 

"  As  men  erow  old,  their  bodies  become  like  dried  wood, 
and  they  require  liquid  nourishment.  A  few  years  ago  my 
father  was  a  great 
chief:  now  he  has  re- 
tired, and  only  thinks 
of  making  inaho!' 

"  I  think  he  need 
not  be  so  grumpy," 
said  Fitz  in  English. 
"  My  opinion  is,  his 
daughter  is  too  kind 
to  him." 

The  old  man's  red 
eyes  flashed,  though 
he  did  not  understand 
the  words :  then  he 
once  more  doubled  himself  up,  grasped  his  knife,  and  resumed 
his  whittling. 

"  What  a  sad  spectacle  !  "  mused  the  Professor.  "  And  that 
is  a  man  !  " 

"  No,  sir,"  said  Oto  :  "  he  is  the  missing  link  between  man 
and  the  monkey.  I  have,  in  other  countries  beside  Yezo,  seen 
creatures  that  resembled  him." 

Habo  next  introduced  her  friends  to  her  mother,  who  was,  if 
possible,  more  weird-looking  than  the  old  chief.     She  was  busily 


HABO'S    FATHER. 


78 


THE   BEAR -WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


employed  pounding  millet  in  a  wooden  mortar,  and,  consid- 
ering her  fragile  appearance,  performed  her  task  with  con- 
siderable vim.  She  listened  to  her  dau"hter  in  grrim  silence, 
then  continued  her  occupation  without  condescending  to 
reply. 

"  Mother  is  very  busy,"  said  Habo.     "  If  she  docs  not  have 
the  food  ready  at  the  proper  time,  father  will  feel  sad." 

"  She  rneans  get  mad,"  said  Fitz   in   English.     "  You    may 

depend  upon  it,  that  old 
savage  has  made  his  wife's 
existence  a  burden  to 
her."  On  their  return  to 
the  assistant  orovernor's 
house  they  were  met  by 
their  host,  who  said,  — 

"  The  chief  has  de- 
termined to  perform  the 
cere  mo  nv  of  0  2cka?'i. 
Would  )ou  like  to  wit- 
ness it  ?  " 

"  By  all  means,"  answered  the  Professor.     "  Can  the  ladies 
be  present  ? " 

Their  friend  thought  not  ;  remarking,  — 
"  It  is  really  a  trial  of  endurance,  and  sometimes  the  Ainos 
have  been  known  to  die  under  it.  It  is  similar  to  the  oukari, 
their  most  severe  form  of  punishment,  combined  with  a  spas- 
modic generosity  that  causes  the  entertainer  to  give  away  his 
treasures  in  a  most  foolish  manner.  The  chief,  whom  you  met 
last  night,  has  invited  you  to  be  his  guests :  so  you  must  not 
be  oft'ended  if  he  gives  you  presents." 

After    dinner    the    Professor    and    his    sons    accompanied 


WOODEN     PESTLE    AND    MORTAR. 


KA  WANISHI.  79 

Oto  and  the  official  to  the  spot  set  apart  for  the  ceremony, 
—  a  rough  piece  of  pasture-land  on  the  bank  of  a  river. 

They  were  received  very  politely,  and,  having  taken  their 
places  on  some  bales  of  fish  covered  with  mats,  were  offered 
sake  in  the  usual  manner. 

Habo,  who  was  present,  acted  as  interpreter ;  and  through 
her  the  chief  said,  — 

"  Oukari  is  a  very  ancient  custom,  and  is  intended  to  try 
the  courage  of  our  people.  I  shall  give  a  reward  to  all  who 
can  b^ar  the  punishment  like  men ;  "  then,  addressing  his 
wife,  he  added,  "  Bring  in  the  club." 

The  woman  went  to  a  neiohborino-  hut,  throucrh  the  window 
of  which  a  weapon  was  passed  with  great  ceremony.  It  was 
of  hard  wood,  about  forty-five  inches  long,  and  in  shape  very 
much  like  what  we  term  an  Indian  club. 

She  carried  it  very  respectfully,  and  handed  it  to  a  bearded 
Aino  ;  who,  before  receiving  it,  spat  on  his  hands  like  a  boy 
about  to  use  a  base-ball  bat.  At  this  stage  of  the  proceedings, 
a  muscular  Yezo-jin,  who  wore  across  his  shoulders  a  mat  made 
of  sealskins,  joined  the  party,  and,  solemnly  saluting  the  chief, 
took  up  his  place  before  him. 

The  women  arranged  the  mat  so  that  it  completely  pro- 
tected the  wearer  from  the  waist  to  the  nape  of  the  neck  ; 
he  holdincif  the  ends  of  the  coverino-  in  his  outstretched 
hands. 

Fitz's  eyes  twinkled  ;  and  he  whispered  to  his  father,  — 

"  This  is  going  to  be  a  lark." 

"  You  mean  that  the  rite  will  prove  interesting,"  said  his 
parent.  "  I  do  not  quite  understand  the  use  of  that  mass  of 
sealskin." 

"  Guess  it  is  for  the  same   purpose  as   1    used    to  wear  a 


8o 


THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


book  under  my  jacket  when  I  expected  trouble  at  school,"  said 
Fitz.     "  These  Ainos  act  very  much  like  children." 

Two  men  then  seated  themselves  as  umpires  for  the  club- 
bearer,  and  the  same  number  stood  up  and  acted  as  friends 
of  the  orentleman  in  the  sealskin  sack. 

"  Now  the  ceremony  is  going  to  begin,"  said  Habo. 

Sake  was  served  ;  after  which  the  man  with  the  mat  braced 
himself,  and  the  one  with  the  club  swung  it  like  a  professional 


gymnast,  and  brought  it  to  bear  with  terrific  force  upon  the 
sealskins. 

'*  Shne "  (one),  piped  an  old  Aino,  whose  duty  it  was  to 
count  the  blows.  He  was  very  much  bent,  and  what  hair 
remained  seemed  to  be  slipping  off  the  back  of  his  head. 

"  7?/"  (two),  "  r^  "  (three),  '' ine'''  (four),  '' as7ie'''  (five), 
''  iwambe''  (six),  ''  aruwauibe"  (seven),  ''  iupesmnbc''  (eight), 
'' s/mepes}iabe'"  [nme),  '' wa7?ibi"  (ten).  As  each  number  was 
called,  the  club  descended,  whack  !  and  the  man  holding  the 
mat  staggered  beneath  the  blows. 

When  hots  (twenty)  was  called,  the  Ainos  stopped  the  cere- 


KA  WANISHI.  8 1 

mony,  and  refreshed  themselves  with  sake;  after  which  the 
amusement  proceeded. 

"  I  should  think  the  blows  would  injure  the  spine."  re- 
marked the  Professor.     "  How  many  can  they  bear,  Habo  ?  " 

"Sometimes  asnc-hots''  (one  hundred),  she  replied:  '■  how- 
ever, that  is  only  in  the  case  of  a  very  strong  man.  This  one 
will  not  take  more  than  wambi-i-tithots'"  (fifty). 

The  amusement  was  suddenly  interrupted  by  an  accident 
that  threatened  to  terminate  fatally.  The  club-swinger  was 
raising  his  weapon  in  order  to  deal  the  thirty-seventh  blow, 
when  a  hornet  stune  him  on  the  wrist  and  caused  him  to  deliver 
a  foul  ;  the  weapon  slanting  upwards,  and  striking  his  victim  a 
tremendous  blow  on  the  back  of  the  skull. 

At  first  the  spectators  thought  he  was  dead ;  but  Oto  ex- 
amined him,  and  said,  —  ^ 

"  If  you  keep  him  quiet,  he  will  come  round  after  a  while. 
Any  one  but  a  Yezo-jin  would  have  been  kil'ed  by  such  a 
blow."  When  the  chief  learned  the  doctor's  decision,  he 
said, — 

"  Hokutakane  shall  have  two  fishes,  and  two  bales  of  goods. 
He  has  shown  that  he  can  take  punishment  like  an  Aino." 

More  sake  was  served,  and  another  Aino  was  soon  found  to 
shoulder  the  sealskin  pad. 

The  second  man  succumbed  at  the  twentieth  stroke  ;  and 
the  third  cried,  "Hold!"  before  he  had  received  the  fifth, 
Habo  explaining  that  he  was  not  very  well. 

"  I  should  not  think  he  would  feel  so  now,"  said  Johnnie. 
"  I  tell  you,  one  blow  from  that  weapon  would  disarrange  my 
anatomical  system." 

About  twenty  men  had  their  powers  of  endurance  tested, 
and  received  presents  varying  from  a  dried  salmon  to  two  bales 


82 


THE   B EAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


P^\\\V\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\^^^^^ 


of  goods.  When  the  last  stroke  was  dehvered,  the  chief  arose 
a  poor  man  ;  and  his  friends  had  more  or  less  sore  backs,  and 
proportionate  proofs  of  his  generosity. 

Although  the  foreigners  did  not  submit  to  the  ordeal,  they 
each  received  presents ;  the  Professor's  share  being  an  antique 
Owari  jar,  decorated  under  the  glaze  with  curious  crossed  lines 
in  pipe-clay.  It  had  been  used  for  storing 
sake,  and  bore  marks  of  having  been  set 
upon  the  fire. 

"  It  will  please  Sallie,"  said  Fitz.  "  She 
likes  old  crockery  of  this  description.  When 
she  sees  it  she  will  say,  '  It  is  too  sweet  for 
any  thing.'  " 

The  oukari  wound  up  with  a  grand 
taifu-kari,  in  which  all  the  contestants 
danced  ;  even  the  man  who  had  been 
rendered  senseless  having  recovered  sufficiently  to  take  part 
in  the  final  exercise. 

The  performers  waved  their  arms,  cawed  like  crows,  shouted, 
hopped  first  on  one  leg  and  then  on  the  other,  and  barked  like 
dogs ;  even  the  children  capering  in  the  same  fashion.  Then 
a  big  mess  of  food  was  brought  in  a  lacquered  box  bearing  a 
t07noye  (luck-mark),  three  maho  were  driven  In  the  ground,  and 
the  chiefs  wives  ladled,  out  this  strange-looking  mass. 

"  Come,"  said  the  Professor,  "  let  us  retire  :  to-morrow  we 
shall  start  for  the  wilds  of  Yezo." 


\\\w\\\\\\\\v\v\\\.\v\\\v^W 
'imnwum/ii/iMiy 


OWARI    JAR. 


84  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


CHAPTER   V. 

IN    THE    MOUNTAINS    OF    YEZO. 

"  The  yapanese  say,  '  Travelling  is  an  inch  of  purgatory.''  The  Ainos  Itave 
an  adage  which  translates  thus:  ^ At  hojne  you  can  be  happy;  but  li'hen  you  go 
upon  a  journey,  you  enjtty  four  periods  of  misery  to  one  of  pleasure.'' " 

COME,  young  folks,"  said  the  Professor,  "  make  your  toi- 
lets. It  is  a  long  journey  between  here  and  Hokuyak- 
bets  ;  and  )-ou  will  have  to  walk,  or  be  carried  by  the  Ainos. 
Habo  says  the  horses  cannot  climb  the  mountain  passes." 

Fitz  rubbed  his  eyes,  and  drowsily  replied,  — 

"  I  never  knew  any  good  result  from  rising  early.  It  dis- 
arranges a  poor  little  fellow  for  the  entire  day.  Why  not  start 
at  ten  o'clock,  and  take  it  easy  ? " 

"  Oh,  you  lazy  boy  !  "  said  Sallie.  "  I  have  been  up  an 
hour.  Habo  tells  me  we  are  going  through  some  very  delight- 
ful scenery,  and  that  it  is  worth  a  great  deal  to  see  the  sun  rise 
over  the  mountains.  Don't  keep  us  waiting  :  I  have  made 
some  delicious  coffee  for  you." 

"  That  will  be  an  inducement,"  said  her  sleepy  brother. 
"  Count  me  in  for  two  cups,  Sallie.  I  won't  keep  you  a  minute. 
What  time  is  it  ? " 

"  Just  half-past  three,"  she  replied. 

As  Fitz  donned  his  clothes,  he  grumbled,  — 

"I  do  not  see  much  use  oroinof  to  bed  when  one  has  to  oret 
up  at  this  unearthly  hour.  Well,  I  suppose  it  is  an  Aino 
custom." 


/iV   THE   MOUNTAINS   OF   YEZO.  85 

At  four  o'clock  they  bade  farewell  to  their  friends,  and 
started.  Oto  and  the  Americans  carried  alpenstocks ;  but  the 
Ainos,  who  all  had  heavy  packs  lashed  to  their  shoulders,  did 
not  condescend  to  avail  themselves  of  any  such  assistance. 

The  mist  settled  in  the  valleys,  and  hung  in  curd-like  strata 
round  the   hill-tops,   rendering  the   scene  very  weird.     Before 


long,  the  travellers'  garments  were  saturated,  and  felt  twice 
their  usual  weight. 

"  I  wish  some  one  would  wring  me  out,"  laughingly  re- 
marked Johnnie. 

"It  is  not  so  bad  as  riding  among  dank  herbage,"  said 
Sallie.     "  Do  you  know,  I  rather  enjoy  this  excelsior  business." 

They  climbed  on  and  on,  until  they  reached  a  plateau  over- 
looking a  little  lake,  where  they  halted  in  order  to  see  the 
sunrise. 

Presently  Habo  pointed  downward,  and  exclaimed,  — 


86  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

"  There  she  is  !  see  how  beautiful  she  looks  !  " 

The  sight  was  certainly  lovely ;  lor,  reflected  on  the  mirror- 
like surface,  they  beheld  the  crimson  orb  slowly  emerge  from 
its  concealment,  and  illuminate  the  water  with  its  brilliant  rays. 
On  turning,  they  saw  the  same  sight  above  the  mountain- 
tops. 

"Oh,  oh,  oh!"  ejaculated  Sallie.  "Crimson  and  gold, 
violet  and  silver,  purple  and  gray,  in  one  glorious  harmony  ; 
this  is  "  — 

"Too,  too  utter!"  said  Fitz,  who  was  shiverino-.  "If  I 
miss  having  chills  and  fever,  I  don't  know  any  thing  about 
symptoms." 

"Oh,  come  along!"  urged  Johnnie.  "We  will  not  wake 
you  so  early  another  morning,  brother  dear." 

As  the  sun  rose,  the  mist  vanished,  and  the  travellers'  clothes 
dried  ;  whereupon  the  boy  recovered  his  spirits,  and  began  to 
pick  flowers. 

"  You,  mother,  shall  have  the  white  ones,  and  Sallie  these 
dark-brown  lilies  trimmed  with  yellow,"  he  said.  "  This 
reminds  me  of  home." 

He  made  two  bouquets,  and  politely  presented  them  to  his 
parent  and  sister.  Upon  smelling  their  gifts,  Mrs.  Jewett  made 
a  gesture  of  disappointment,  and  Sallie  exclaimed,  — 

"  I  love  these  blossoms  of  the  wilderness ;  "  then,  noticing 
her  mother  hastily  discard  hers,  she  added,  "  Why,  mamma, 
what  is  the  matter?" 

"  These  flowers  were  as  white  and  pure-looking  as  w^ax,  but 
their  odor  was  unbearable,"  answered  the  lady.  "As  usual, 
one  must  not  go  by  appearances." 

"That  is  so,"  murmured  thoughtful  Johnnie.  "There  is 
many  a  black  heart  under  a  white  skin,  and  vice  versa." 


YE.ZO    WILD    FLOWERS. 


88  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

Habo,  who  had  listened  to  the  conversation,  inquired  what 
was  the  matter,  and,  when  she  learned,  said,  — 

"That  Jiaa  plant  is  peculiar  :  its  roots  are  good  to  eat,  but 
it  does  not  smell  very  nice.  When  we  touch  it,  we  always  pinch 
our  nostrils.  They  say  the  bad  gods  made  it  to  deceive  the 
Aino.     We  call  the  white  flower  niyo-kai  "  (wheel  lily). 

"  The  Jiaa  deceived  me,"  said  Fitz.  "  I  think  I  must  have 
got  a  chill,  and  lost  my  sense  of  smell." 

"  You  are  all  right,"  said  his  mother. 

As  they  halted  for  breakfast,  they  noticed  an  Aino  seated  in 
a  valley,  as  though  on  the  look-out  for  something. 

"  He  is  watching  for  bears-,"  said  Habo.  "  I  know  him  very 
well ;  he  is  a  most  dutiful  boy." 

"  At  what  time  do  your  youths  become  of  age?"  inquired 
Johnnie. 

At  first  she  seemed  puzzled  :  then  she  smiled,  and  said,  — 

"When  they  are  married  :  until  that  time  they  live  at  home, 
and  belong  to  their  parents.  Do  you  notice  how  very  ragged 
his  clothes  are  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  Fitz:  "  his  coat  looks  as  though  it  had  been 
used  for  a  targ-et.  I  wonder  he  does  not  Qet  his  mother  to 
mend  it  for  him." 

"  He  is  too  dutiful  to  trouble  her,"  replied  Habo.  "  He  has 
made  several  applications  to  the  authorities  for  permission  to 
marry,  but  has  been  refused." 

"  Why  ?  "  sympathetically  inquired  Sallie. 

"  Because  he  is  not  successful  at  hunting,  or  in  raising 
crops,"  answered  Habo.  "  When  an  Aino  fails  to  pay  his  taxes, 
the  government  officials  will  not  give  him  permission  to  marry." 

"  That  is  only  just,"  said  Mrs.  Jewett.  "  If  a  man  is  unable 
to  keep  himself,  he  should  not  be  allowed  to  take  a  wife." 


IN  THE   MOUNTAINS   OF    YEZO. 


89 


"  Poor  fellow !  perhaps  he  is  in  love,"  said  Sallie. 

"  Oh  !  stuff  and  nonsense,"  said  Fitz.  "  Do  you  diink  that 
great  looney  sitting  there,  and  holding  on  to  a  pole  like  a 
gorilla,  was  ever  in  love  ?  I  consider  the  Japanese  authorities 
were  perfectly  right :  he  will  not  shoot  a  bear  until  he  is  gray- 
headed.     I  believe  his  mother  has  spoilt  him." 


A    LAZY    AINO. 


By  the  time  the  sun  has  attained  its  meridian,  the  travellers 
became  very  tired,  and  were  glad  enough  to  meet  a  young 
Japanese  merchant,  who  told  them  they  would  find  an  Aino's 
hut  in  the  woods  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  on  their  right. 

"  They  own  a  spring  of  delicious  water,"  he  said,  "  and  are 
very  hospitable  to  strangers.  If  you  desire  it,  I  will  show  you 
the  way."  The  Professor  asked  Habo  if  she  knew  the  man, 
upon  w^iich  she  said,  — 


90  THE  BEAR- WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

"  Yes.;  but  I  do  not  like  to  visit  him,  because  he  would  not 
take  the  blows  at  an  oiikari  given  by  my  father." 

"  You  must  put  aside  your  social  prejudices,"  said  the 
Professor.     "  Come,  we  are  very  thirsty." 

He  did  not  know,  that,  according  to  Aino  etiquette,  the 
woman  was  supposed  not  to  speak  to  such  a  cowardly  person  : 
however,  Habo  was  too  gentle  to  offer  any  further  remon- 
strance. 

They  followed  the  merchant,  and  after  a  short  walk  arrived 
at  the  hut. 

The  Aino  made  his  peculiar  salutation,  and  invited  them 
indoors  ;  his  wife  hurrying  off  with  a  lacquer  vessel,  with  which 
she  presently  returned,  saying,  — 

"  I  wish  this  cold  water  w^ere  sake!' 

"  It  tastes  like  lemonade,"  said  Fitz.      "  How  nice  !  " 

"  They  put  a  quantity  of  bruised  sorrel  in  the  spring,"  said 
the  merchant.  "  This  fellow  possesses  some  very  fine  pieces  of 
lacquer.     Would  you  like  to  see  them  ? " 

Three  old  Ainos  came  in,  and,  squatting,  saluted  the  visitors  ; 
then  their  host  climbed  a  notched  post,  and  reached  dov.  n  some 
clean  mats,  which  were  spread  upon  the  floor  for  the  accom- 
modation of  the  guests. 

"  Now  show  your  treasures,"  said  Habo. 

The  man  saluted  her,  and,  re-ascending  the  log,  handed 
down  several  old  swords,  the  scabbards  of  which  were  inlaid 
with  mother-of-pearl,  and  beautifully  lacquered. 

"These  belonged  to  his  five-times-grandfather,"  said  Habo. 
"  They  were  given  to  his  ancestor  by  a  noble  w^hose  life  he 
saved.  One  day  the  lord  w-as  travelling  in  great  haste  to  reach 
Matsumai,  but  upon  arriving  here  found  the  river  so  high  that 
he  would  be  dela}ed  several  weeks.     This  greatly  troubled  him, 


IN  THE  MOUNTAINS   OF   YEZO. 


91 


and  he  shed  tears ;  on   noticing  which,  that  man's    five-times- 
grandfather  inquired  the  cause. 

"  '  Alas !  "  said  the  noble,  '  I  am  indeed  a  miserable  person. 


J4PANISE    CURIOS    IN    AINO    HUT. 


My  aged  mother  in  Matsumai  is  at  the  point  of  death,  and 
desires  very  much  to  see  me.  Rather  than  imbitter  her  last 
moments,  I  prefer  to  jump  into  the  river,  and  to  end  my  miser- 


92  THE  BEAR -WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

able  life,  thus  accompanying  my  parent  along  the  lonely  road.' 
Then  this  man's  five-times-grandfather  spoke,  saying,  — 

"  *  Up  in  the  side  of  the  valley,  the  walls  of  rock  almost 
touch  one  another ;  and  in  that  spot  grows  a  willow-tree. 
Rather  than  that  your  mother  shall  suffer,  we  will  risk  our  lives 
to  enable  you  to  reach  her.     Please  follow  me.' 

"  Then  he  selected  six  companions  ;  and,  after  taking  a  bun- 
dle of  inaJio,  they  started  out,  and  ascended  the  mountain  side. 

"  Upon  arriving  at  the  place,  they  saw  the  tall  willow  which, 
about  three  feet  from  the  rock,  forked  into  two  huge  limbs. 
This  man's  five-times-grandfather  climbed  the  strongest  branch, 
and  two  companions  followed  him,  each  carrying  an  inaho'' 
(god-stick)  "  in  his  hand.  Their  weight  gradually  bent  the 
willow  until  the  limb  bowed  across  the  chasm,  and  they  were 
enabled  to  seize  the  grass  and  rocks  on  the  other  side.  Then 
they  lifted  large  pieces  of  stone,  and  placed  them  so  as  to 
secure  it,  and,  handing  the  noble  an  inaho,  bade  him  cross  the 
bridge  they  had  made. 

"  '  I  am  in  great  fear,'  he  said,  '  never  having  been  trained 
to  perform  acrobatic  feats  :  still,  remembering  that  my  aged 
mother  is  desirous  of  seeing  me,  I  will  not  care  for  the  risk, 
even  though  it  lead  to  my  death  ;  '  saying  which,  he  stepped 
upon  the  branch,  and,  though  his  heart  sank  very  low  in  his 
body,  he  crossed  in  safety. 

"  He  gave  this  man's  relative  many  beautiful  things,  among 
them  beinor  these  swords." 

"Will  he  sell  them?"  inquired  Professor  Jewett,  who  was 
an  enthusiastic  collector  of  Japanese  weapons. 

Habo  shook  her  head,  and  said,  — 

"  He  would  never  part  with  those  swords.  They  \Vere  given 
to  him  on  his  marriage,  and  will  belong  to  his  chHdren." 


94  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

"That  settles  it,"  said  Fitz  ;  adding,  with  a  sig-nificant  ges- 
ture to  the  woman,  "  Suppose  he  has  no  child  ? " 

Habo  thought  a  while,  then  replied,  — 

"  He  will  adopt  one  :  it  would  be  just  the  same,  according  to 
Aino  ideas." 

While  they  were  talking,  the  young  merchant  had  been 
making  a  sketch,  which  he  handed  to  Sallie,  saying,  — 

"  Please  accept  this  little  picture  to  remind  you  of  the  story 
related  by  your  interpreter.  My  father  has  a  very  fine  painting 
representing  the  scene.  He  was  one  of  the  retainers  of  the 
lord  of  Matsumai." 

Sallie  thanked  him,  and  the  party  resumed  their  journey. 

That  night  they  slept  in  an  old  hon-jin ;  i.e.,  a  house  for- 
merly used  by  the  daimios  and  their  trains. 

It  was  in  a  very  dilapidated  state,  and,  though  long  since 
abandoned  by  man,  was  well  tenanted  with  very  lively  insects. 

"What  species  do  you  call  these,  papa?"  said  Fitz,  as  he 
rose  and  met  his  father,  who  had  been  fairly  driven  into  the 
open   air. 

"  The  piilex  horridiis^'  savagely  returned  the  Professor, 
"They  are  the  most  insatiate  creatures  I  have  ever  encoun- 
tered.    Travelling  among  the  Ainos  is  not  unalloyed  pleasure." 

"  Particularly  when  you  have  to  rise  soon  after  retiring,  in 
order  to  accommodate  the  permanent  boarders,"  was  the  merry 
response.  "  I  believe  they  look  upon  Johnnie  as  a  public  bene- 
factor, or  he  must  have  taken  a  sleeping  draught." 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it,"  wearily  ejaculated  his  brother,  emerging 
slowly  from  the  house.  "  I  have  lost  pounds  of  flesh.  I  do 
not  think  they  have  left  any  thing  of  mother  and  Sallie." 

While  they  were  chatting,  Habo  came  from  an  adjoining 
building,  and  on  seeing  them   inquired  what  was   the   matter. 


IN  THE  MOUNTAINS   OF   YEZO.  95 

Upon  beinor  informed,  she  expressed  great  astonishment,  and 
naively  remarked,  — 

"  No  Aino  minds  those  Httle  taiki.  We  should  feel  lonely 
without  them." 

"They  are  sociable  enough,"  growled  Johnnie.  "  If  you 
like  them  so  much,  why  are  )Ou  not  enjoying  their  society  ?  " 

The  woman  simpered,  then  replied,  — 

"  There  is  to  be  a  inachi-koro "  (wedding)  "  at  midnight. 
The  son  of  the  Aino  who  looks  after  this  hon-jiu  is  to  be 
married  to  a  very  pretty  girl  named  Kisara." 

"  Can  we  witness  the  ceremony  ?  "  asked  the  Professor, 

At  first  Habo  looked  serious  :  however,  she  finally  said,  — 

"  I  think  they  will  not  mind,  because  you  are  very  gentle, 
and  do  not  laugh  at  our  customs,  I  will  go  and  ask  if  they  will 
object  to  your  presence." 

vShe  re-entered  the  building,  and,  after  remaining  absent 
a  while,  returned,  saluted,  and  said,  — 

"  The  father  of  the  boy  says  you  are  welcome  to  see  his  son 
married,  but  fears  you  will  feel  very  much  amused  at  the  cere- 
mony. We  are  an  ignorant  people,  and  this  man  is  very  poor. 
Please  follow  me,  and  kindly  avoid  speaking." 

She  led  the  way ;  and  the  AmxCricans  presently  found  them- 
selves in  an  octagonal  room,  built  in  Japanese  fashion,  and 
floored  with  reed  mats.  This  had  formerly  been  a  reception-hall, 
but  was  now  used  by  the  Aino  janitor  and  his  family. 

In  the  centre  was  a  fireplace,  a  frame  of  wood  filled  with 
ashes,  on  which  were  a  pile  of  chips  and  some  sticks  of  res- 
inous pine.  The  usual  kettle  hung  over  the  pile ;  and  a  lamp 
formed  of  a  large  shell  rested  on  a  little  post  at  one  corner 
of  the  fireplace,  which  was  decorated  with  three  inaJio  (god- 
sticks). 


96       '  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

The  brideofroom's  father  saluted  his  foreiorn  cruests,  and  said 
he  was  very  much  honored  by  their  presence. 

"  This  is  to  be  a  dark  seance^'  said  the  fun-loving  Fitz. 

"  Hush,  hush  !  "  cautioned  his  father.  "  Seat  yourself  here, 
and  keep  quiet.  I  consider  it  a  very  great  privilege  to  be 
present  on  such  an  interesting  occasion." 

There  was  a  glimmer  of  light  among  the  kindling  on  the 
hearth;  and  they  could  just  discern  the  outlines  of  their  host 
and  his  son,  who  seated  themselves  on  the  left  of  the  frame. 

Habo  crouched  near  the  Americans,  and,  in  a  low  voice, 
explained  what  w'as  being  done. 

"  Only  the  family  and  certain  friends  are  present,"  she  said. 
"  The  middle-man,  who  has  arranged  the  marriage,  will  bring  in 
the  bride,  who  is  supposed  to  be  invisible." 

"  I  should  think  she  is,"  said  Fitz.  "I  do  not  believe  a  cat 
could  see  its  kitten  by  this  light." 

After  a  brief  interval  they  heard  a  rustling  noise,  and  then 
dimly  beheld  a  bearded  Aino,  followed  by  a  dark  figure,  who,  as 
she  entered  the  apartment,  knelt  behind  her  conductor.  The 
latter  bowed,  and,  saluting  the  father  of  the  bridegroom,  said, — 

"  Is  your  son  lonely?" 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  old  man.     "  He  is  very  lonely  indeed." 

No  more  was  said,  the  bridegroom  remaining  perfectl}'  mo- 
tionless, w^hile  the  cjo-between  retired ;  leavino^  the  o^irl,  who 
approached  the  fireplace,  and  taking  a  resinous  chip  pushed  it 
into  the  embers. 

Presently  the  flame  blazed  up,  and  revealed  her  face,  which 
w^as  really  a  pretty  one. 

She  lighted  the  lamp,  then  bowed,  and  remained  with  her 
face  hidden  from  view\ 

The  bridegroom  rose,   and,  approaching  his  bride,  led  her 


IN  THE  MOUNTAINS   OF   YEZO. 


97 


to  his  father.  Then  the  pair  bowed,  the  young  wife  stirred 
up  the  fire,  and  the  family  welcomed  her  with  murmurs  of 
approbation. 

"  That  is  all,"  said  Habo.  "  Now  everybody  leaves,  and 
goes  to   the   young  folks'   house   to   drink  sakeT 

The  foreign  visitors  took  the  hint,  and  retired. 


MACHIKORO    (AINO    MARRIAGE). 


"  Yours  is  a  very  simple  ceremony,  Habo,"  remarked  the 
Professor,  seating  himself  in  the  veranda  of  the  hon-jin.  "  How 
old  are  the  bride  and  groom  ?  " 

"  The  man  is  twenty-two,  and  the  girl  eighteen,"  she  an- 
swered. 

"  Did  he  select  her  himself?"  inquired  Johnnie. 

"  Oh,  yes  !  "  replied  Habo.  "  He  has  seen  her  many  times, 
and  noticed  that  she  could  cook,  split  bark,  cut  wood,  and  do 


98  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

hard  work :  so  he  made  up  his  mind  to  marry  her.  Then  he 
went  to  the  Japanese  authorities  and  to  his  chief,  and  asked 
permission  to  have  the  girl.  When  this  was  granted,  he  sought 
out  a  friend  of  his  family  to  act  as  go-between,  and  sent  her 
father  a  sword,  lacquer  cup,  or  curio,  the  acceptance  of  which 
settled  the  matter." 

"  Why  did  the  go-between  bring  the  bride  in  in  the  dark?" 
inquired  Fitz. 

"  No  one  is  supposed  to  know  who  she  is,"  answered  Habo. 
"  Women,  being  descendants  of  the  goddess  who  founded  our 
race,  are  considered  to  be  light-makers  for  the  house,  and  to 
render  it  bright  and  cheerful.  Now  will  you  come  to  their 
home,  and  drink  sake  ?  " 

"  Please  excuse  us,"  said  the  Professor.  "  It  does  not  agree 
with  me,  and  my  sons  never  touch  it.  —  Boys,  what  do  you  say  ? 
shall  we  try  once  more  to  woo  the  drowsy  god  ?  " 

"  I  cannot  keep  my  eyes  open  any  longer,"  said  Fitz,  "  and 
shall  have  to  again  brave  the  terrors  of  those  old  mats." 

About  eight  o'clock  the  next  morning  they  were  awakened 
by  a  commotion  in  the  establishment,  and,  upon  inquiring  the 
cause,  were  informed  that  the  chief  Setta-eye  had  arrived  from 
Hokuyak-bets  to  conduct  them  to  his  village. 

"  He  is  a  very  great  man,"  said  Habo ;  "  and  his  wife  is 
exceedingly  beautiful." 

"  We  ought  to  receive  him  with  some  sort  of  ceremony," 
said  the  Professor.  "  Come,  my  sons,  brush  up  a  bit,  and  I  will 
tell  your  mother  and  sister  of  the  honor  awaiting  us." 

Just  then  Oto,  who  looked  as  though  he  had  rested  well, 
joined  them,  and  remarked,  — 

"  I  slept  like  a  top.  You  boys  look  as  though  you  had 
been  up  all  night." 


IN  THE  MOUNTAINS   OF   YEZO.  99 

"  You  must  be  iron-clad,"  said  Johnnie.  "  I  do  not  believe 
any  of  us  has  slept  a  wink." 

"  Why,  what  troubled  you  ?  "  inquired  the  doctor. 

"  I  had  about  a  million  of  them  all  at  once,"  grumbled  Fitz. 

"  Why  did  you  not  bring  some  insect-powder?"  demanded 
their  friend.  "  I  thought  you  had  laid  in  a  stock.  Well,  I  have 
enough  for  us  all." 

"  I  am  thankful  for  that,"  ejaculated  Mrs.  Jewett.  "  I  won- 
der we  could  have  been  so  foolish  as  to  forget  ours.  Poor  Sallie 
is  in  a  high  state  of  fever." 

"  Wife,"  said  the  Professor,  "  Chief  Setta-eye  is  anxious  to 
have  an  interview  with  us.     I  do  not  wish  to  keep  him  waiting." 

"  He  will  have  to  wait  until  I  make  myself  presentable," 
said  the  lady.     "  I  want  some  water  and  a  bowl." 

Habo,  who  had  listened  attentively,  hurried  off,  and  soon 
returned  with  a  lacquer  cup  holding  about  a  quarter  of  a  pint. 

"  I  cannot  wash  in  that,"  said  Mrs.  Jewett.  "  What  do  your 
people  use  ? " 

"  Nothing,"  was  the  naive  reply.  "  An  Aino  never  puts 
water  on  his  skin  :  it  makes  him  sick." 

"  What !     You  never  take  baths  ? " 

"  Never,"  was  the  calm  response. 

"  That  settles  it,  mother,"  said  Johnnie.  "We  shall  have  to 
buy  a  sake-\}S}o,  and  carry  it  along  with  us,  or  dry-polish  our- 
selves as  the  Ainos  do." 

After  some  delay  the  travellers  accomplished  their  toilets,, 
and  Habo  was  informed  that  they  would  see  their  visitor. 

In  a  few  moments  Setta-eye  entered,  and  proved  to  be  the 
finest  Aino  they  had  yet  seen. 

He  extended  his  arms,  waved  his  hands  inward  three  times, 
then,  stroking  his  superb  beard,  said  in  a  dignified  manner, — 


lOO  THE  BEAR-]VORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

"  I  have  come  to  welcome  you  to  my  country." 

He  wore  on  his  head  a  sha-hobi  (a  sort  of  crown),  made  of 


CHIEF    SETTA-EYE. 


the  fine  bark  of  the  tree  from  which  they  obtain  the  fibre  for 
their  clothing  ;   and  suspended  from  his  side  was  a  Japanese 


IN  THE  MOUNTAINS   OF  YEZO. 


lOI 


sword,  handsomely  mounted  with  gold.  His  dress  was  of  bark 
cloth,  trimmed  with  blue  and  white  cotton  :  he  carried  an  un- 
strung bow  in  his  hand,  and  had  large  metal  rings  in  his  ears. 

"What  a  magnificent  savage!"    murmured  the   Professor. 

"  Look  at  his  powerful  physique,  and  see  how  hairy  he  is." 

"Yes,"  answered  Oto,  "  he  is  a  good  specimen  of  the  Aino." 

Setta-eye  waited  until  they  had  ceased  speaking,  then  said, 

in  a  gentle,   musical  tone,   that  contrasted   strangely  with  his 

savage  appearance,  — 


"  I  have  been  informed  of  your  coming,  and,  knowing  the 
road  between  here  and  Hokuyak-bets  is  dangerous,  have  brought 
my  own  people  to  guard  you.  Will  you  trust  yourself  to  my 
poor  care  ? " 

"  A  thousand  thanks,"  said  the  Professor.  "  We  are  indeed 
obliged  for  your  thoughtfulness." 

The  chief  then  introduced  his  wife,  who  was  dressed  in  a 
bark  robe  trimmed  with  blue  cloth,  confined  at  the  waist  by  a 
narrow  girdle.  Her  earrings  were  of  silver,  adorned  with  strips 
of  red  cotton  tape ;  and  she  wore  a  sJiitoki  (necklace  of  silver 


I02  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

and  stone  beads),  to  which  was  suspended  an  ornamental  ring 
of  old-gold   lacquer,   decorated  with   a  bamboo   pattern.     Her 


SETTA  EYES    WIFE. 


finger-nails  were  long  and  pointed,  the  tattooing  about  her 
mouth  and  between  her  eyebrows  was  very  fine  and  close,  and 
she  carried  a  shuttle  in  her  hand. 


IN  THE  MOUNTAINS   OF   YEZO.  IO3 

The  shitoki  is  only  worn  by  the  wives  of  Aino  chiefs,  and  is 
considered  the  most  honorable  distinction  bestowed  upon  a 
woman. 

Mrs.  Jewett  and  Sallie,  who  looked  red-eyed  and  sleepy, 
shook  hands  with  the  chief's  wife,  and  asked  her  many  ques- 
tions about  the  road  she  had  travelled.  Her  replies  were  made 
in  a  low,  sweet  voice ;  and,  although  she  had  never  before  seen 
foreigners,  she  bore  herself  with  the  greatest  ease  and  dignity. 

Setta-eye  informed  the  Professor  that  he  had  prepared  a 
habitation  for  him  at  Hokuyak-bets,  and  that  he  hoped  he 
would  remain  some  time  his  guest ;  adding, — 

"  I  encountered  several  bears  on  my  way  hither  :  if  you 
have  any  weapons  with  you,  you  had  better  put  them  in  order." 

"We  have  rifles,"  replied  the  Professor.  "  Hereto  we  have 
not  met  with  any  game,  so  I  have  forbidden  my  sons  to  carry 
arms.     Now  we  will  be  prepared." 

"  'Rah  !  "  cried  Fitz.  "  This  is  worth  coming  for.  Now 
won't  we  have  some  fun  !  If  I  come  within  range  of  a  bear,  I'll 
make  him  bite  the  dust." 


I04  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF  YEZO. 


CHAPTER   VI. 

AN  AINO  HOME. 

"  /?«  exile  frotn  home,  splendor  dazzles  in  vain  ! 
Oh,  give  me  my  lowly  thatched  cottage  again  / " 

J.  Howard  Payne. 

"  My  heart  sinks  within  me  when  F  no  longer  see  }ny  beloved  home.^'  —  AiNO 
Song. 

NO  civilized  being  is  more  devotedly  attached  to  his  home 
than  is  the  savage  Aino,  who,  unlike  other  primitive 
people,  is  not  a  nomad,  and  who  can  scarcely  be  induced  to 
quit  his  native  place. 

It  was  really  touching  to  witness  the  joy  of  Setta-eye  and  his 
wife  when  they  once  more  beheld  their  hut. 

"There  is  the  hokuyak"  cried  the  woman,  pointing  to  a 
bear,  confined  in  a  wooden  cage.  "  See,  he  is  sitting  up  to 
welcome  us." 

"  Look  at  those  geese,"  cried  Johnnie.  "  May  I  have  a  shot 
at  them,  father  ?  " 

Setta-eye  understood  the  question,  and  motioned  the  boy 
to  level  his  weapon.  Johnnie  did  so,  and  succeeded  in  killing 
two  of  the  birds,  which  fell  among  the  brushwood,  and  were 
presently  brought  in  by  some  Aino  children. 

The  chief's  house  was  a  large  structure,  covered  and 
thatched  with  fine  reeds,  which  were  secured  by  slats  tied  to 
the  frame-work.  The  entrance  was  through  a  low  archway,  on 
the  floor  of  which  was  laid  a  new  mat  in  honor  of  the  visitors. 


I06  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

A  rude  fence  of  branches  and  stakes  protected  two  sides  of 
the  edifice,  and  gave  the  place  a  very  rustic  look. 

The  chief,  who  was  evidently  respected  by  the  people,  in- 
vited his  guests  into  his  house,  and  assigned  them  places  of 
honor  on  the  benches  occupying  the  left  corner  of  the  apart- 
ment. 

When  they  had  seated  themselves  he  offered  them  sake  and 
water ;  then  retired,  leaving  them  to  rest,  while  he  went  to  see 
if  every  thing  was  in  order  in  the  structure  he  had  built  for 
their  accommodation. 

"This  is  quite  a  nice  place,"  said  Johnnie.  "They  don't 
have  much  furniture,  do  they  ?  I  wonder  what  is  in  those  bags 
up  there." 

"  Those  are  skins  of  seals,  sewn  together,  to  contain  the 
fish-oil  used  for  light  and  cooking,"  said  Habo.  "  This  chief 
must  be  very  wealthy  to  have  so  much  oil  in  his  house."  She 
then  told  them  the  names  of  the  various  objects,  saying,  — 

"We  call  the  hearth  isumbe.  The  fire-gods  are  habaye-kamoi, 
not  inaho.  That  shell  on  a  stick,  used  as  a  lamp,  is  the  nochi- 
beck  ;  the  pot  hanging  from  the  roof  is  a  sho.  The  quiver  for 
arrows  is  called  ika.  The  long  sword  is  tanephu,  and  the  short 
emoshi.  That  club  is  for  oukari.  Those  lacquer  boxes,  shin- 
toku ;  the  bowl  with  four  handles,  umpei ;  the  j-^/v-kettle, 
yehonitts  ;  the  chopsticks,  hekohasch  ;  the  sake-cu^,  toki ;  the 
cup-stand,  takashiyate.     The  square  boxes  are  called  sheoff." 

"  Now  we  know  all  about  it,"  said  Fitz,  who  had  written 
down  the  names.  "Why  does  that  hooked  pole  hanging  from 
the  roof  have  an  iron  hoop  at  the  bottom,  and  a  piece  of  iron 
projecting  from  it  ? " 

"  The  hoop  is  to  suspend  pots  from,"  she  answered ;  "  and 
the  piece  of  iron  is  used  to  swing  them  clear  of  the  fire." 


io8 


THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


"  What  is  the  curved  piece  of  wood  used  for,  that  is  lying  on 
the  mats  near  the  fireplace  ?  "  asked  Johnnie. 

"  We  put  bear -meat  on  that  to  roast,"  she  answered.  "  You 
cannot  take  things  off  a  very  fierce  fire  with  your  fingers." 

While  they  were  conversing,  Setta-eye  entered,  and,  saluting, 
said,  — 

"  Your  home  will   soon  be  ready  for  your  reception.     My 


AINO    V.  EAPONS. 


wife  is  seeing  that  it  is  well  smoked  to  drive  out  the  mos- 
quitoes." 

When  he  took  off  his  weapons,  the  young  Americans  asked 
permission  to  examine  them. 

"  Be  careful  of  the  poisoned  heads  of  the  arrows,"  he  said, 
unslinging  his  2/^^  "  (G)  (quiver). 

"  Why  do  they  have  double  heads  ?  "  demanded  Johnnie. 

"  The  poison  is  in  the  bamboo  barb  (E) ,  which  fits  over  the 


AN  AINO  HOME. 


109 


m 


real  head  (D).  The  shaft  (B)  is  called  skuri,  and  the  winged 
end  otzubii :  it  is  made  of  goose-feathers.  The  bow  is  made  of 
untrimmed  onrtmza,  and  the  cord  is  of  the  same  plant  as  that 
used  for  making  ka-stnngsy 

"  I   see,"  said  Johnnie.     "  You  bind  your  bows  with   fine 
cord,  but  do  not   taper  them  as  much  as  we  do. 
What  tree  do  you  call  oicncma  ?  " 

The  chief  bade  one  of  his  people  fetch  a  speci- 
men ;  and  the  man  presently  returned,  bearing  a 
branch  which  the  Professor  pronounced  to  be  a 
species  of  yew. 

"The  quiver  is  of  strips  of  wood  bound  with 
cherry-bark,"  said  Fitz.  "  It  combines  strength  and 
lightness." 

The  Professor  pointed  to  the  ornament,  and 
said,  — 

"That  is  intended  to  represent  water,  and  was 
invented  by  the  Coreans." 

"I  think  not,"  said  Oto.  "The  design  oriei- 
nally  came  from  China.  We  obtained  it  from 
Corea,  and  the  Ainos  borrowed  it  from  us.  I  do 
not  think  the   Coreans  were   inventors  of   decorative   forms." 

The  chief  then  showed  them  the  shuttle  used  by  his  wife  in 
making  bark  cloth.  It  was  of  dark  wood,  very  heavy,  and  orna- 
mented with  flowing  patterns. 

"  Their  weaving  is  very  primitive,"  said  Oto,  "  and  is  more 
like  your  mat-making  than  any  thing  else." 

Just  then  the  chief's  wife  came  in,  and,  saluting  them,  said, — 

"  All  is  ready." 

Setta-eye  rose,  and  led  the  way  to  a  large  hut,  neatl)* cov- 
ered with  reeds,  that  stood  about  two  hundred  yards  from  his 
dwelling. 


no 


THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


"That  is  yours,"  he  said.  "It  is  perfectly  new,  and  was 
built  expressly  for  your  accommodation.  I  have  appointed  five 
servants  to  wait  upon  you.  You  can  place  your  food  and  treas- 
ures in  the  storehouse  behind." 

"  Oh,  how  delightful  !  "  exclaimed  Sallie,  surveying  the 
scene.  "Just  fancy:  we  are  going  to  live  in  an  Aino  house, 
and  to  stay  here  a  while." 

"Why  are  those  skulls  put  on  the  fence? "  asked  Fitz. 


THE   JEWETTS'    HOME    IN    HOKUYAK-BETS 


"  That  shows  a  famous  hunter  once  lived  near  here,"  replied 
the  chief.  "  We  always  put  those  trophies  on  stakes  near  his 
house,  then  the  bad  bears  do  not  come  and  attack  us.  Do  you 
see  your  servant  ?  she  is  pounding  millet  for  your  attendant's 
supper." 

They  thanked  him,  after  which  he  took  his  leave,  saying,  — 
"  You  must  go  into  your  home  unattended :  it  is  yours." 
The  hut,  contrary  to  Aino  fashion,  was  divided  into  three 


AN  AINO  HOME.  1 1 1 

rooms,  each  of  which  was  provided  with  a  mat-covered  bench. 
Habo  said  that  Setta-eye  had  taken  great  pains  to  learn  how 
foreign  houses  were  made,  and  had  sent  runners  to  Hakodate 
to  study  architecture. 

"This  will  be  jolly,"  said  Fitz.  "  But  where  are  we  going 
to  cook  ?     If  we  light  a  fire  in  here,  we  shall  all  be  smothered." 

Habo  led  the  way  to  the  back  of  the  structure,  where  they 
found  a  shed  under  which  some  big  stones  were  placed  so  as  to 
form   a  rest  for   the   iron    pot  (used  by  the  Ainos),  a  curious 
article  with  four  rings  inside  the 
lid.      Mrs.  Jewett  said  she  could 
bake   in    it,   and   that    they   had 
cooked  many  a  chowder  at  pic- 
nics  on    a    similar   arrangement 
of  rocks.     Before  nightfall  Oto, 
who  was  quite  handy,  had  con- 
structed a  temporary  table,  and 
the   travellers  sat  down   to  what  Fitz  termed  a  square   meal. 

"  I  hope  we  shall  stay  here  a  year,  sir,"  he  said  to  his  father. 
"  Nothing  like  studying  the  habits  of  a  people  on  the  spot.  To- 
morrow I  am  going  to  ask  Chief  Setta-eye  to  go  bear-hunting." 

"  I  think  we  ought  to  visit  the  chief,  and  thank  him  for  his 
kindness,"  said  the  Professor.     "  Come,  boys." 

They  found  their  friend  entertaining  five  of  the  old  men  of 
his  tribe,  and  dancing  the  crow-dance  for  their  amusement. 

It  was  very  comical  to  see  him  move  his  hands,  and  hop  first 
on  one  foot  and  then  on  the  other ;  while  a  male  servant 
solemnly  marched  round  the  party,  and  filled  their  cups  from  a 
lacquer  vessel. 

"  You  will  please  excuse  us  from  remaining,"  said  the  Pro- 
fessor.    "  We  all  feel  very  tired.     Good-night." 


112 


THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


"  Saramba  "  (good-by),  cried  the  Ainos,  making  their  grace- 
ful salutation,  and  stroking  their  shaggy  beards. 

The  drinking  was  continued  all  night  and  the  next  day  in 
honor  of  the  foreigners,  and,  but  for  the  exhaustion  of  the  sake- 
tubs,  would  probably  have  been  continued  indefinitely. 

Setta-eye  did  not  call  upon  his  visitors  for  nearly  a  week  ; 
and  when  he  came  his  eyes  were  red,  as  though  he  had  not 


SETTA-EYE    ENTErtTAINING     HIS    FR'ENDS 


recovered  from  his  dissipation.  He  informed  the  Professor  that 
he  was  about  to  inflict  the  punishment  of  oukari  upon  a  man 
who  had  been  condemned  for  a  serious  crime  ;  adding,  by  way 
of  explanation,  — 

"  This  ceremony  differs  greatl)-  from  oiikari,  the  trial  of 
strength.  The  man  who  is  to  suffer  deserves  severe  punish- 
ment, and  is  not  permitted  to  determine  when  he  has  had 
enough  ■    I  decide  that." 

"When  will  the  sentence  be  carried  out?"  inquired  the 
Professor. 


AN  AINO  HOME.  II3 

"At  noon,"  answered  the  chief.  "  I  will  conduct  you  to  the 
place,  and  see  that  you  have  seats." 

At  the  appointed  time  the  gentlemen  of  the  party  accom- 
panied their  host  to  a  level  spot  overlooking  the  Bear  River, 
where  they  found  quite  a  crowd  of  Ainos. 

A  mat  was  spread  upon  the  ground,  and  three  old  men, 
appointed  to  act  as  witnesses,  knelt  upon  it  in  a  row  ;  then  a 
sad-looking  woman  was  brought  forward  by  her  father,  and 
placed  upon  Setta-eye's  left,  and  her  husband  took  up  his 
position  on  the  chief's  right.  By  that  time  the  foreign  visitors 
had  settled  themselves  upon  a  rude  bench  made  of  logs  covered 
with  mats,  that  their  host  had  provided  for  them. 

At  a  signal  from  Setta-eye,  the  prisoner  was  brought  in 
between  two  of  his  friends,  who,  turning  him  with  his  back 
towards  the  spectators,  removed  his  upper  garment,  and  stripped 
him  to  the  w^aist.  He  was  a  muscular,  determined-featured 
savage,  who  could  evidently  take  severe  punishment.  The 
chief  gave  another  signal,  whereupon  the  prisoner's  wife 
advanced,  carrying  a  covered  tub  filled  with  water,  and  a  branch 
of  dwarf  bamboo.  As  she  uncovered  the  vessel,  a  wiry-looking 
Aino,  armed  with  a  club  bound  with  rawhide,  emerged  from 
among  the  spectators,  and,  taking  up  his  place  behind  the  pris- 
oner, stood  ready  to  administer  the  punishment. 

Setta-eye  commanded  silence  by  waving  his  hand,  then 
said,  — 

"This  man  has  robbed  his  friend's  wife,  and  must  therefore 
be  punished.     Now  hit  him  hard,  and  do  not  be  afraid." 

The  club-swinger  plied  his  weapon  with  a  will,  and  the 
prisoner  bore  the  pain  with  the  greatest  stoicism.  At  every 
fifth  blow  his  wife  advanced,  and  sprinkled  his  back  with 
water. 


114 


THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


It  was  some  time  before  the  fellow  showed  signs  of  weaken- 
ing :  however,  finally  he  cried  out  that  he  was  sorry,  and  would 
never  repeat  the  offence.  When  the  culprit  was  led  away,  Fitz 
inquired  the  nature  of  the  prisoner's  crime ;  whereupon  the 
chief  said, — 

"  It  is  against  our  custom  for  any  one  to  enter  another  man's 
house  without  the  permission  of  its  owner.  The  prisoner  had 
been  guilty  of  this  offence,  and  had  stolen  the  earrings  belong- 


PUNISHMENT    OF    OUKARl. 


ing  to  the  complainant's  wife.  What  punishment  do  you  award 
for  such  a  crime  ?  " 

"  It  all  depends,"  said  Fitz  to  Habo.  "  Tell  him  that  a 
criminal  is  sometimes  sent  to  state's  prison,  but  if  he  has 
political  influence  he  is  allowed  to  continue  his  dishonorable 
career." 

"  I  do  not  understand  you,"  she  replied,  with  a  puzzled  air. 
"  When  an  Aino  commits  a  crime,  he  receives  suitable  pun- 
ishment." 

Fitz  smiled,  and  remarked  to  his  father  in  English,  — 


AN  AINO  HOME.  1 1 5 

"These  Yezo-jin  are  real  savages.  They  do  not  understand 
pcHtical  influence." 

"  They  will  soon  learn,"  replied  the  Professor.  "  It  is  not  a 
study  that  requires  a  high  degree  of  intelligence." 

The  chief,  who  had  listened  respectfully,  said, — 

"  I  am  about  to  judge  between  two  women  who  both  lay 
claim  to  a  sJiitoki.  Each  says  that  the  jewel  belongs  to  her, 
and  I  am  oroinof  to  decide  the  matter." 

"  How  do  you  proceed  ? "  inquired  Johnnie. 

He  invited  them  to  follow  him,  and  led  the  way  to  a  spot 
where  they  saw  a  large  iron  kettle  placed  upon  a  mat,  and  two 
Aino  women,  who  were  regarding  each  other  very  angrily. 

The  vessel  which  probably  contained  three  gallons,  was 
brim-full  of  boiling  water.  As  soon  as  the  Americans  had 
seated  them  elves,  the  chief  addressed  the  women  as  fol- 
lows :  — 

'' Echokai  tu  ainic  ne,  khemanuku  ishka  khetaneaf 
("  Which  of  you  is  the  culprit  ?  ") 

"  I  would  like  to  have  my  i-Z/z'/^/^z,"  said  the  elder.  "That 
girl  has  my  property,  and  will  not  restore  it  to  me." 

"  Produce  it,"  said  Setta-eye. 

"  Indeed  it  is  mine,"  answered  the  younger.  "  It  was  given 
me  when  I  was  married.  I  lost  it  one  day  when  I  was  out  in 
the  woods." 

"  How  did  you  get  it  again  ?"  demanded  the  chief. 

"  I  saw  it  in  her  hut,  and  took  possession  of  it." 

She  then  reluctantly  drew  the  coveted  article  from  her 
bosom,  and  handed  it  to  the  chief;  who,  holding  it  at  arm's- 
length,  said, — 

"This  is  a  very  simple  affair.  Only  one  of  30U  can  be  the 
true    owner :    the   other  must  tell    a   falsehood.     It  is  easy  to 


ii6 


THE   BEAR-]VORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


determme  which  is  in  the  right.  There  are  three  stones  in  that 
kettle  of  hot  water :  whichever  of  you  removes  them  without 
scaldine  her  hands  is  innocent,  and  shall  take  the  shitoki.  The 
water  will  not  injure  the  one  who  has  an  honest  heart." 

Fitz  chuckled,  and  was  about  to  comment  upon  the  rude 
ordeal ;  when  his  father  checked  him,  and  said,  — 


Jt- 


SAIMON.      ORDEAL    BY    HOT    WATER. 


"  All  primitive  races  practised  the  same  punishment." 

"We  call  this  saimon'''  said  Habo.  "It  never  fails  to 
detect  the  wrong-doer." 

The  claimants  "  shed  tears  like  rain,"  and  for  a  time  neither 
appeared  desirous  of  scalding  her  fingers :  however,  after 
awhile  the  younger  one  bared  her  arm,  and,  thrusting  it  into  the 
boiling  water,  fished  out  a  stone,  then  cried  to  her  opponent,  — 

"  Now  you  do  the  same." 


AN  AINO  HOME.  i  i  7 

The  old  woman  made  a  great  show  of  contempt,  and 
advanced  toward  the  vessel  as  though  about  to  answer  her 
challenger;  but  paused,  and  said  in  a  grumbling  tone, — 

"  You  can  take  the  trumpery  shitokiy 

Having  announced  her  determination,  she  darted  a  look  of 
hatred  at  the  successful  candidate,  and  retired. 

Setta-eye  handed  the  jewel  to  its  proper  owner,  who  put  it 
about  her  neck,  and  rejoined  her  friends. 

"  The  sainion  is  a  very  old  custom,  and  it  works  well, 
remarked  the  chief.  "  Rogues  are  deterred  from  committing 
crimes  through  fear  of  having  to  undergo  this  trial." 

He  conducted  them  home,  and  on  parting  said, — 

"The  hunters  have  just  brought  me  word  that  they  have 
trapped  a  fine  bear  in  the  mountains.  Would  you  like  to  join 
me  in  killing"  it  ?  " 

"Very  much  indeed,"  said  Fitz.  "  I  have  promised  a  num- 
ber of  skins  to  my  friends,  and  wish  to  secure  them  as  soon  as 
possible." 

Habo  awoke  them  the  next  morning  by  calling, — 

"The  hunters  are  here.  Will  you  please  rise,  or  the  bear 
may  get  out  of  the  pit." 

"We  will  fix  him,"  said  Fitz.  "Where  is  my  rifle,  Johnnie, 
and  my  cartridge-belt  ? " 

"  Where  you  left  them  last  night,"  was  the  quiet  response. 

Sallie,  who  heard  the  conversation,  rose,  made  the  party 
some  coffee,  and  as  she  served  it  said, — 

"  I  am  sorry  I  cannot  go  with  you.  I  wish  I  were  a  boy : 
you  have  all  the  fun.     Cannot  I  accompany  you  at  a  distance?" 

"  Did  you  ever  hear  such  foolishness  !  "  cried  Fitz.  "  The 
idea  of  your  wanting  to  go  bear-hunting,  Sallie  Jewett !  You 
would  scream  if  you  saw  a  bear  twelve  miles  off,  unless  he  were 


ii8 


THE  BEAR -WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


in  a  cage.  You  stay  at  home,  and  have  something  toothsome 
for  us  on  our  return.  A  nice  hunt  we  should  have  if  we  took 
you  with  us  !  " 

The  Professor  fairly  bristled  with  weapons ;  while  his  sons 
and  Oto,  in  addition  to  their  rifles,  carried  knives  and  a  battery 

of  small-arms. 

They  found  the  hunt- 
ers standing  near  a  wood- 
pile at  the  back  of  the 
house,  waiting  to  be  sum- 
moned. 

The  Ainos,  father  and 
son,  spite  of  their  rough 
appearance,  w^ere  gentle- 
mannered. 

"  Where  are  your 
weapons  ? "  asked  Fitz. 

"  Up  in  the  mountain," 
answered  the  elder.  "  W^e 
only  use  spears  and  bows 
and  arrows." 

The  men  then  spoke 
to  one  another  in  a  low 
tone. 
"They  are  afraid  of  being  killed,"  said  Habo.     "Ainos  are 
not  used  to  your  weapons." 

"  We  won't  hurt  them,"  said  Fitz,  in  a  re-assuring  tone.   "  Tel: 
them  we  know  how  to  use  these  as  well  as  they  do  their  bows." 
Th-s  younger   of   the  men  tied  deer-hide   gaiters   upon  hi  ^ 
legs  ;    and,  when  Setta-eye  joined  the  party,  he    led  the  way 
into  the  mountains. 


AINO    HUNTERS. 


AN  AINO  HOME.  II9 

The  chief  told  them  that  bears  were  becoming  very  scarce, 
and  where  they  formerly  killed  ten  they  with  difficulty  secured 
one. 

"I  see  he  has  a  stock  of  zV/^/^<? "  (god-sticks)  "  with  him," 
said  Fitz. 

Oto  nodded,  and  answered, — 

"They  never  leave  home  without  them.  He  won't  have 
one  in  his  quiver  when  he  returns." 

Ascending  the  mountain  proved  to  be  very  hard  work,  and 
necessitated  frequent  stoppages  in  order  to  give  the  foreigners 
rest. 

About  ten  o'clock  they  arrived  at  a  gorge,  at  the  far  end  of 
which  was  a  cave  containing  the  game,  which  proved  to  be  a 
fine  adult  brown  bear.  Some  branches  of  a  tree  had  been 
fastened  across  the  entrance,  and  the  animal  appeared  to  be 
securely  caged. 

It  gnawed  at  the  obstruction,  and  growled  savagely,  as 
though  it  would  like  to  attack  its  captors. 

"  May  I  try  my  hand,  sir?"  said  Fitz,  unslinging  his  rifle. 

"  Not  on  any  account,"  severely  answered  the  Professor. 
"  No  sportsman  would  think  of  shooting  an  animal  confined  in 
that  manner." 

"  I  did  not  know,"  muttered  the  boy.  "  I  thought  it  had  to 
be  killed.  If  it  gets  out,  it  will  make  things  lively  for  us.  It  is 
as  mad  as  a  hornet  that  has  lost  its  nest." 

When  Setta-eye  found  the  foreigners  would  not  kill  the 
imprisoned  animal,  he  took  up  his  position  about  fifty  yards 
from  the  cave,  and  shouted,  — 

"  Now  you  are  going  to  become  a  god." 

He  then  thrust  an  inaJw  into  the  ground,  motioned  his  dogs 
to  keep  quiet,  and  selecting  an  arrow  shot  it  at  the  imprisoned 


I20 


THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


animal,  which,  maddened  with  pain,  beat  against  the  obstruc- 
tion to  its  liberty,  and  uttered  the  most  piteous  cries. 

The  Ainos  discharged  a  shower  of  arrows,  and  finally  ren- 
dered the  poor  brute  so  furious  that  it  threw  itself  against  the 
barrier,  and  broke  it  down. 

"  Leave  it  to  me :  I'll  shoot  it,  I'll  shoot  it !  "  cried  Fitz, 
advancing  toward  the  creature. 


SHOOTING    A    TRAPPED    BEAR. 


"  Run,  run,  run  !  "  shouted  the  Professor,  Johnnie,  and  Oto, 
who  dared  not  shoot  for  fear  of  hurting  him. 

"  Run  away  !  "  shouted  Setta-eye. 

Fitz  took  no  heed  of  their  warnings,  but  levelled  his  piece 
at  the  animal,  which  was  standing  on  the  ruins  of  the  barrier, 
swinging  its  head,  and  uttering  sharp,  savage  growls. 

The  boy  fired,  striking  the  bear  on  the  nose. 


AN  AINO  HOME.  I2I 

It  uttered  a  sound  between  a  snarl  and  a  bark,  lowered  its 
head,  and  made  swiftly  for  the  lad  ;  who,  nothing  daunted, 
calmly  reloaded  his  weapon,  and  shot  the  monster  a  second 
time. 

"  Run,  run ! "  cried  the  agonized  Professor,  tugging  at  the 
tricrorer  of  his  rifle. 

Fitz  coolly  reloaded,  and,  when  the  bear  was  within  three 
yards  of  him,  pulled  for  the  third  time.  To  his  horror  he  found 
that  the  hammer  would  not  work,  and  in  another  instant  he  felt 
the  breath  of  the  animal  upon  his  face. 


122  fHE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

BEAR-HUNTING. 

He  %uho  plays  withfit'e  sJwuld  not  complain  about  his  burns.  —  Old  Proverb. 
He  who  undertakes  to  catch  a  bear  must  not  cry  over  his  wounds.  —  AiNO 
Saying. 

FITZ  did  not  know  any  thing  about  his  rescue,  a  blow  from 
the  bear's  paw  having  rendered  him  insensible. 

Upon  seeing  his  son  fall,  the  Professor  clubbed  his  rifle, 
and  dealt  the  animal  a  tremendous  blow  between  the  eyes. 
Johnnie  and  Oto  rushed  in,  pressed  the  muzzles  of  their 
weapons  against  the  animal's  chest,  and  fired ;  then  the  Ainos 
uttered  frightful  cries,  and  attacked  the  bear  with  their  spears. 

The  poor  brute  fought  desperately  hard,  and  before  it  died 
wounded  several  of  the  savages,  who,  regardless  of  its  hug- 
ging, approached  very  closely,  and  as  they  thrust  their  spears 
taunted  it,  saying,  — 

"  You  think  you  are  a  god,  but  we  can  overcome  you." 

While  they  were  despatching  the  creature,  the  Professor, 
Oto,  and  Johnnie  were  attending  to  Fitz.  They  carried  him 
toward  a  spring  of  water,  and  bathed  his  face  until  he  regained 
consciousness ;  as  he  did  so,  the  Ainos  gave  a  shout  of 
victory. 

The  boy  opened  his  eyes,  and,  glancing  up  at  his  father, 
said,  — 

"  I  guess  that  b'ar  hunted  me.  It  Is  fortunate  Sallle  did 
not  accompany  us  at  a  distance." 


BEAR-HUNTING.  1 2  3 

"  Are  you  hurt  anywhere  ? "  inquired  the  young  doctor. 

"  I  don't  know,"  answered  Fitz.  "  I  feel  kinder  dizzy.  I 
beheve  there  is  something  the  matter  with  my  neck." 

When  his  coat  was  removed,  Oto  discovered  that  the  bear 
had  clawed  the  sufferer's  shoulder,  and  lacerated  the  muscles  of 
his  back. 

"  Oh !  it  is  only  a  scratch  or  two,"  said  Fitz.  "  One  must 
expect  such  things  when  they  tackle  a  bear.  Just  smooth  the 
rough  places  down,  and  put  on  one  of  your  honorable  plasters. 
I  shall  be  all  right  in  a  few  minutes." 

He  rose,  but  was  seized  with  giddiness ;  and  it  was  some 
time  before  he  felt  well  enough  to  continue  the  conversation. 

Setta-eye  and  the  other  Ainos,  who  were  very  much  con- 
cerned, watched  him  with  the  greatest  anxiety. 

Presently  the  chief  went  to  the  bear,  which  by  that  time  had 
been  denuded  of  its  skin,  and  was  suspended  from  the  limb  of 
a  tree,  as  a  farmer  hangs  a  dressed  hog.  He  took  an  inaho, 
and  thrust  it  into  the  liver ;  then  cutting  off  a  portion  of  the 
latter  offered  it  to  Fitz,  saying,  — 

"  Eat  this  quickly :  it  will  make  you  very  strong." 

This  was  too  much  for  the  boy,  who,  in  spite  of  his  weak- 
ness, was  as  full  of  fun  as  ever. 

"  Make  me  strong,  eh  ?  "  he  murmured.  "  It  is  Aino  tonic, 
I  suppose.  Much  obliged.  I  made  a  vow  to  Bindzuri,  not  to 
take  any  medicine  for  ten  years.  Kindly  eat  it  for  me :  it  will 
do  me  just  as  much  good." 

"There  is  nothing  serious  the  matter  with  you,"  said  the 
young  doctor.  "  Do  you  think  you  are  sufficiently  recovered 
to  walk  home  ?  If  you  are  not,  we  will  improvise  an  ambu- 
lance for  you." 

"  Not   if    I   can    prevent   you,"   was    the    quiet    rejoinder. 


124  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

"  What  would  mother  and  Sallie  think  if  they  saw  a  procession 
of  that  sort  descending  the  mountain  ?  No,  thank  you,  Dr. 
Nambo." 

"  I  will  go  ahead  and  tell  them,"  said  the  Professor.  "  You 
can  rest,  and  need  not  hurry  home." 

When  his  father  had  departed,  Fitz  remarked,  — 
"  This  must  be  a  cool  country  in  the  winter." 
"  It  is,"  answered  Oto.     "The  thermometer  goes  down  until 
you  cannot  see  the  mercury,  and  the  wind  blows  hard  enough  to 
take  you  off  your  feet.     Some  years  ago  my  grandfather,  who 
was  very  fond  of  hunting,  came  up  here  to  shoot  bears." 
"  Did  they  chase  him  ?  " 

"  Oh,  no  !  "  answered  Oto.  "  He  engaged  the  Ainos  to  dig 
a  pit,  which  he  baited  with  sweet-potatoes.  The  natives  built  a 
temporary  shelter  near  the  spot,  and  put  inaho  outside  for  luck. 
One  morning  they  came  to  him  in  a  great  hurry,  saying  that 
the  bear  was  in  the  pit,  and  would  my  grandfather  hasten  to 
kill  the  creature  ?  My  relative  started  at  a  great  pace,  being 
very  anxious  to  secure  the  prize.  Upon  reaching  the  hut,  the 
Ainos  entered  in  order  to  warm  their  frozen  fingers  ;  but  my 
ancestor  k"ept  right  on,  making  great  leaps  over  the  snow,  and 
causing  the  scabbards  of  his  swords  to  rattle  noisily.  This 
greatly  alarmed  the  bear,  which  in  its  struggles  presently 
scrambled  to  the  top  of  the  pit.  Noticing  this,  my  grandfather 
halted,  and  discharged  his  weapon.  The  bear,  infuriated  by  the 
wound,  contrived  to  escape,  and  made  its  way  up  the  mountain 
side  ;  seeing  which,  my  grandfather  pressed  on,  and  forgetting 
the  pitfall  tumbled  in.  The  Ainos,  not  having  witnessed  his 
accident,  continued  to  warm  themselves,  while  he  struggled  to 
do  as  the  animal  had  done.  In  vain  he  shouted  ;  his  voice  was 
muffled  as  though  he  were  in  a  well,  and  the  watchers  failed  to 


126  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

hear  him.  At  nightfall  they  came  out  with  torches,  and  dis- 
covered his  whereabouts,  he  having  been  in  the  hole  eight 
hours.  I  have  a  picture  of  this  incident,  and  will  give  it  to  you 
to  show  your  friends," 

"  Come,"  said  Fitz,  "  Let  us  be  moving.  I  am  afraid 
mother  will  worry  on  my  account." 

As  they  descended  the  mountain  they  heard  shouts  behind 
them,  and,  looking  back,  beheld  an  enormous  bear  stealing 
away  from  the  huntsmen ;  who,  as  they  ran,  rapidly  discharged 
their  arrows.   . 

"  Let  us  have  a  shot  at  it,"  said  Fitz.  "  Give  me  my  rifle, 
Johnnie." 

"  You  have  had  enough  sport  for  to-day,"  answered  his 
brother. 

While  they  were  speaking,  the  animal  was  sneaking  down 
the  ravine,  and  Oto  was  "  drawing  a  bead  on  it." 

The  report  was  sharp  ;  and  the  ball  struck  its  object,  causing 
the  bear  to  quicken  its  pace. 

Fitz  took  his  rifle  from  his  brother,  and,  spite  of  his  lame 
back,  raised  it  to  his  shoulder,  and  pulled.  The  missive  took 
effect  just  behind  the  bear's  shoulder,  and  rolled  the  animal 
over. 

"'Rah!  'Rah!"  shouted  the  excited  lad.  "One  for  our 
side.  Ain't  I  glad  I  came !  I'll  get  a  fine  skin,  and  bear's- 
grease  enough  to  last  sister  all  her  life." 

They  approached  the  carcass,  and,  after  examining  it,  told 
the  Ainos  to  be  very  careful  in  removing  the  pelt ;  then  made 
the  best  of  their  way  home. 

Mrs,  Jewett  and  Sallie  were  on  the  lookout  for  them  ;  and, 
when  they  saw  the  party,  ran  forward  exclaiming,  — 

"  Fitz,  why  did  you  rush  into  such  danger?  Are  you  badly 
hurt?" 


128  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

"  I  have  killed  a  bear  anyhow,"  he  replied. 

"  You  mean  that  it  nearly  killed  you,"  said  Sallie.  "  O  Fitz 
Jewett !  you  have  given  us  such  a  scare  !  " 

"  You  are  not  as  badly  scared  as  the  bear,  sis,"  he  slyly 
answered.  "He  is  what  the  Ainos  ctiW  di  ski  go  iua.  —  Mother, 
you  shall  have  the  skin  for  a  rug." 

At  first  Mrs.  Jewett  thought  he  was  joking :  however,  when 
Oto  and  Johnnie  confirmed  his  statement,  she  said, — 

"  I  am  both  glad  and  sorry,  —  glad  because  you  have  been 
so  fortunate  ;  and  sorry  because  I  know,  now  you  have  secured 
one  skin,  you  will  not  rest  until  you  have  a  dozen." 

When  the  Professor  heard  the  news,  he  said,  — 

"  I  congratulate  you,  my  son.     Now  take  a  rest." 

Habo  was  much  concerned  when  she  discovered  that  Fitz 
had  been  injured.  She  insisted  upon  seeing  the  scratches,  and 
wanted  to  apply  an  Aino  remedy  to  them  ;   remarking,  — 

"  You  encountered  the  chief  of  the  bears.  The  creature 
was  once  a  ereat  tree  in  the  mountains  :  now  its  life  is  cut  off, 
it  will  again  become  a  tree.  It  was  a  wonder  you  escaped  so 
easily.     You  ought  to  take  a  sweat  to  get  rid  of  the  poison." 

"  I  would  rather  take  a  cup  of  coffee,"  said  the  merry 
fellow.  "  As  for  rubbing  in  your  ointment,  you  must  ask 
Dr.   Nambo." 

Oto  decided  that  it  was  unnecessary,  and  said  a  good  bath 
would  be  of  greater  service  than  any  Aino  specific. 

"  We  have  secured  a  sake-tuh,''  said  the  Professor.  "  You 
will  find  it  already  filled  in  your  room." 

That  evening  the  travellers  enjoyed  a  meal  of  bear-meat,  at 
the  conclusion  of  which  they  inspected  the  skins  brought  down 
from  the  mountain  by  the  Aino. 

Setta-eye  promised  to  have  them  dressed,  and  forwarded  to 


BEAR-HUNTING.  1 29 

Hakodate  by  the  time  they  returned  from  SaghaHn  :  then  salut- 
ing them  in  his  graceful  fashion  was  retiring,  when  he  paused, 
and,  addressing  the  Professor,  said,  — 

"We  are  going  to  hold  the  festival  of  lyornante''  (killing 
and  worshipping  the  bear).  "  It  is  usually  done  in  the  fall ;  but 
last  year,  at  the  appointed  time,  the  shigoma  was  very  sick. 
Now  he  is  quite  well  again,  and  we  are  all  anxious  to  make  a 
god  of  him.  I  have  decided  to  do  this  to-morrow.  Can  you 
be  present  ? " 

"  Yes,  indeed,"  was  the  reply :  "  both  myself  and  friends 
would  like  to  witness  the  rites." 

When  he  was  gone,  Habo  introduced  a  middle-aged  woman, 
named  Ochin,  who  said  that  she  had  been  the  foster-mother  of 
the  bear  that  was  to  be  sacrificed. 

"  Foster-mother  ?  "  said  Fitz.     "  What  does  she  mean  ?  " 

"  Well,  you  see  the  bear  is  taken  from  its  mother  when  it  is 
a  few  days  old,"  said  Habo.  "  It  is  a  little,  blind,  helpless 
creature,  and  requires  nursing  like  a  baby.  If  the  foster- 
mother  is  good-tempered,  the  bear  will  be  amiable.  If  she  is 
bad,  the  animal  will  be  savage.  We  are  very  careful  in  appoint- 
ing- the  bear's  attendant." 

"What  have  you  in  that  bag  around  your  neck?"  inquired 
Mrs.  Jewett. 

The  woman  untied  the  receptacle,  and,  taking  a  paper  from 
it,  replied,  — 

"This  is  my  marriage-permit.  It  was  given  me  by  the 
Japanese  officials,  and  a  similar  one  was  handed  to  my  hus- 
band." 

"  Why  is  there  only  half  a  seal  on  it?"  inquired  Sallie. 

"  Both  certificates  were  written  on  one  piece  of  paper,  and 
the   seal   was   placed   between    them,"    explained    the   woman. 


130 


THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF  YEZO. 


"  This  proves  I  am  the  wife  of  Toki,  the  person  who  owns  the 
other  half." 

"What  is  the  Aino  name  for  married  woman  ?"  asked  Fitz. 


t^l^-^^^<JJ 

?«8i^«rtf      , 

.^ 

p,\^-Hi^ 

*^    ^    Mr 

^\^1i'^'^^>*k- 

^i^\\^At^ 

1    ,  .  ^  o^*^*^ 

^    \\^<'^^'$, 

•y-NR-iJ^ 

/ 

*i^j»w 

,y 

«^)^4Ni'^ 

•^    nK  A 

^^^'>^ 

^^ac7^ 


I 


^ 

AINO    MARRIAGE-PERMIT. 

'' Machi^'  answered  Habo.  "An  unmarried  female  is 
termed  vicnoco,  and  a  young  girl  mencoshi.  As  soon  as  we 
are  married,  we  cut  our  hair  across  the  forehead." 

"What  we   call   bang   it,"   said   Fitz.     "Our  ladies,   of   all 


BEAR-HUNTING.  1 3 1 

ages,  have  their  hair  banged.  Why  do  some  of  yours  let  it 
grow  long,  and  hang  over  their  eyes  ? " 

"  That  is  a  sign  of  mourning,"  said  Habo.  "When  we  lose 
out  relations,  we  let  our  hair  grow  for  three  years  :  it  makes  us 
look  very  sad.  The  other  day  you  asked  me  why  we  tattooed 
our  hands,  and  why  no  Aino  likes  you  to  look  into  the  window 
of  his  house.  I  have  inquired  of  the  chief's  mother,  who  is  a 
very  aged  person,  and  knows  every  thing.  She  says,  in  ancient 
timps  there  lived  a  god  named  Kocha.  He  was  six  feet  high, 
and  had  long,  powerful  hands.  His  houses,  which  were  made 
of  earth,  were  all  over  the  land.  Every  one  admired  his  skill 
in  fishing  and  hunting ;  and  he  was  very  generous,  —  often 
putting  bear-meat  and  fish  in  at  the  windows  of  the  Ainos' 
huts,  though  he  never  taught  the  people  to  capture  either  the 
seal  or  the  bear.  At  last  he  became  offended  at  our  ancestors' 
ignorance,  and  took  his  wife,  and  quitted  the  land.  Since  that 
time  no  Aino  likes  any  one  to  look  through  the  window  of  his 
house,  believing  that  such  an  act  should  only  be  done  by  the 
gods.  But  when  an  Aino  is  going  to  fish  for  seals,  or  hunt  a 
bear,  his  harpoon  or  his  spear  and  bows  and  arrows  are  passed 
through  the  window  ;  and  on  his  return  every  thing  he  cap- 
tures is  taken  into  the  house  through  the  same  aperture.  The 
god-stick,  placed  near  a  dead  bird  on  the  window-sill,  represents 
the  god  Kocha." 

"  But  how  about  the  tattooing  ? "  inquired  Sallie. 

"  Kocha-kami's  wife,  who  was  a  very  beautiful  woman,  had 
her  mouth,  arms,  and  hands  tattooed,"  answered  Habo.  "  The 
traces  of  the  god  and  his  wife  are  seen  in  many  places ;  and  we 
sometimes  find  pieces  of  pottery,  and  the  jewels  they  wore, 
when  we  dig  new  land  to  plant  millet.  Aino  women,  wishing 
to  preserve  the   memory  of  Kocha-kami's  wife,  and  to  possess 


M2 


THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


her  virtues,  tattoo  themselves  as  she  did.  Now  will  you  please 
excuse  me,  as  the  chief  has  sent  us  some  sake,  and  I  have  to 
serve  it  to  the  men." 

She  saluted  them,  and  retired ;  and  they  presently  saw  her 

filling  large  cups  with  the  wine 
from  some  lacquer  vessels  placed 
on  a  mat  in  the  cook-house. 

"  I  wonder  the  Japanese  don't 
prevent  the  Ainos  from  drink- 
ing so  much,"  said  Johnnie. 

Oto  smiled,  and  answered,  — 
"  Our  government  does  try, 
but  it  can  no  more  prevent 
drunkenness  among  the  Ainos 
than  yours  can  among  the  Indians.  We  no  longer  give  them 
yearly  allowances  of  sake.'' 

"  Come,  boys,"  said  the  Professor.  "  I  think  you  had 
better  retire.  To-morrow  we  will  have  to  rise  early  to  witness 
the  lyomantey 


HABO    SERVING    SAKE. 


lYOMANTE.  133 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


lYOMANTE. 


"  To-day  we  ivorsJdp  you  as  a  god  : 
Therefore  eat  what  we  offer ^  and  enjoy  yourself.^'' 

AiNo's  Speech  to  the  Bear. 

FIVE  o'clock,  and  time  to  rise,"  said  the  Professor,  "  Habo 
tells  us  that  to-day's  entertainment  is  called  Hinzinzo " 
(feeding  the  bear).  "The  men  of  the  tribe  have  been  up  since 
dawn,  making  iiia]io.  As  soon  as  the  sun  is  over  the  moun- 
tain, the  ceremony  will  begin  :  so  rise,  my  boys,  and  get  your 
breakfast." 

Fitz  yawned,  and  said  in  a  grumbling  tone,  — 

"  I  wonder  folks  go  to  bed  at  all  in  this  country.  They 
could  feed  the  bear  just  as  well  at  noon  as  at  sunrise.  It  has 
to  be  killed  anyhow." 

"  You  are  very  much  like  a  bear,  brother,"  said  Sallie  from 
the  next  room. 

"  How?"  he  inquired. 

"You  are  always  growling,"  she  replied.  "Just  think  of 
it :  we  shall  witness  a  ceremony  that  has  seldom  been  seen  by 
foreigners,  and  learn  how  they  conduct  the  rite  of  bear- 
worship." 

"  I  wish  I  could  find  my  boots,"  mumbled  her  brother.  "  I 
have  not  had  a  wink  of  sleep  all  night." 

"  Why,  Fitz  dear  !  we  heard  you  snoring,"  said  Mrs.  Jewett. 

"  Yes,  mother,  if  I   am  very  tired,  I   snore  when   I   am  wdde 


134  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

awake,"  he  quickly  answered.  "  Did  not  sleep  a  wink,  modier, 
all  nifjht  —  fact." 

After  he  had  dressed,  Oto  came  in,  and,  rubbing  his  hands, 
exclaimed,  — 

"  We  are  going  to  see  some  fun  to-day.  The  Ainos  are  out 
in  full  force ;  and  Setta-eye  is  wearing  his  crown,  and  looks  as 
imposing  as  a  drum-major." 


MAKING    INAHO. 


Breakfast  was  quickly  despatched  ;  after  which  the  chief 
called  upon  them,  and,  saluting  them  gravely,  said,  — 

"  Every  thing  is  ready." 

They  followed  him  to  a  spot  near  his  hut,  where  they  found 
the  bear's  cage,  surrounded  by  Ainos,  who  were  dancing, 
shouting,  or  whittling  inaho. 

"  Why,  there  are  thousands  of  the  god-sticks  made,"  re- 
marked Johnnie.     "  What  are  they  going  to  do  with  them?" 

Habo  explained, — 

"  Those  will  be  used  during  the  next  three  days." 


lYOMANTE.  135 

They  watched  the  men,  and  noticed  the  dexterous  manner 
in  which  they  turned  out  the  inaJw. 

After  the  visitors  had  been  accommodated  with  seats,  Setta- 
eye  gave  the  signal  for  the  dance  to  begin  ;  whereupon  the 
women  brought  the  bear  some  dried  fish,  and,  addressing  it, 
said,  — 

"  Honor  us  by  eating  this  poor  food." 

The  foster-mother  next  advanced,  and,  speaking  to  the 
animal,  said, — 

"  I  beg  of  you  to  be  very  patient,  and  not  to  bite,  my  son." 

The  bear  growled,  and  taking  the  fish  proceeded  to  munv,h 
it  with  great  relish.  While  he  was  enjoying  himself,  three 
Aino  women  and  ten  men  approached  the  cage,  and  began  to 
stamp,  whine,  and  dance,  as  they  did  so,  shouting,  — 

"  To-day  we  worship  you  as  a  god, 
Therefore  eat  what  we  offer,  and  enjoy  yourself." 

All  of  the  tribe  took  turns  in  thus  dancing  and  singing ;  the 
entertainment  continuing  until  sunset,  when  a  miniature  fence 
was  made  round  his  cage  with  inaJio,  and  he  was  left  alone  for 
the  night. 

At  sunrise  the  woman  who  had  attended  him  spread  a 
new  mat  of  red  and  brown  reeds  in  front  of  the  cage,  then 
withdrew  the  lower  bars,  and,  bowing,  said,  — 

"  Honorable  god,  please  come  out." 

The  creature  obeyed,  and,  rising  upon  its  haunches,  rubbed 
its  nose,  and  made  a  peculiar  whimpering  noise,  which  affected 
the  woman  to  tears. 

In  a  few  moments  the  Americans  heard  a  great  shouting; 
and  presently  Setta-eye  appeared,  grasped  the  bear  by  its  ears, 
and  rode  on  its  back. 


lYOMANTE. 


137 


The  animal  shambled  round,  uttered  loud  growls,  and 
charged  right  and  left  at  the  people. 

This  amusement  was  kept  up  until  noon,  when  the  chief 
gave  a  signal,  and  every  one  rushed  for  their  bows  and  blunt 
arrows.  Even  the  little  children,  provided  with  these  weapons, 
were  brought  in  the  mothers' 
arms,  or  Indian  fashion,  on 
their  backs,  to  fire  a  shot. 

Ropes  were  secured  to  the 
bear's  hind-legs,  and  he  was 
pulled  hither  and  thither  until 
he  became  really  dangerous. 

As  the  sun  descended, 
Setta-eye  turned  towards  the 
western  mountain,  and  said, — 

"  Bear,  I  make  you  happy." 

At  this  signal,  his  son  ad- 
vanced to  the  victim,  and  dis- 
charged a  blunt  arrow  at  him. 
A  shower  of  the  missives  fol- 
lowed, and  caused  the  poor 
brute  to  rear,  snarl,  and  snap 
at  every  thing  within  his  reach. 

In  a  little  while  he  was  led  back  to  his  cage,  and  secured 
for  the  night. 

The  ceremony  of  the  next  day  was  a  very  simple  one.  At 
sunrise  the  bear  was  let  out  of  his  cage,  and  conducted  to  a 
place  where  two  large  timbers  were  laid  upon  the  ground. 
When  he  was  fairly  on  these,  a  beam  was  lifted  upon  his  neck, 
and,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  loaded  down  with  Ainos.  As 
the  executioners  squeezed  the  life  out  of  the  poor  thing,  they 


AINO    BABIES. 


138 


THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


chanted  in  a  mournful  way,  in  order  to  drown  its  cries  and  the 
lamentations  of  its  foster-mother,  who,  seated  near  the  bear's 
head,  wept  and  rocked  herself  with  grief,  while  her  child 
exclaimed,  — 

'"  Pirika,  pirika  !''  (good,  good.)     • 

"  See-saw,  Margery  Daw,"  said  Fitz,  as  the  Ainos  moved  up 
and  down  like  schoolboys  on  a  plank. 


TORMENTING    THE    BEAR. 


"  Please  do  not  interrupt  the  ceremony,"  whispered  Sallie. 

"Circus,  you  mean,"  he  retorted.  "Poor  old  bear!  he 
won't  have  a  kick  in  him  when  they  get  through." 

The  foster-mother's  husband  next  advanced  with  a  sword, 
with  which  he  touched  the  bear's  eyes,  nose,  and  ears,  all  the 
male  Ainos  following  his  example  ;  after  which  millet-seed  was 
thrown  among  the  crowd. 

"  That  is  to  make  them  strong  when  hunting,"  whispered 
Habo. 


I40  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

"  Come,"  said  Mrs.  Jewett,  "  I  have  seen  enough  of  this. 
Let  us  i^o  home,     I  am  tired  out." 

"  What  a  primitive  race  they  are  !  "  remarked  the  Professor. 

"Quite  so,"  said  his  wife,  —  "almost  too  primitive  forme. 
I  think  their  see-sawing  the  bear  to  death  was  most  barbarous." 

"  Mr.  Bergh  ought  to  be  here,"  said  SalHe,  who  agreed  with 
her  mother. 

"  The  Aino  would  not  care  if  he  were,"  said  Johnnie. 
"They  would  just  yell,  and  go  ahead;  and  Mr.  Bergh  would 
have  to  do  as  we  did,  leave  them  alone.  These  children  of 
nature  do  not  know  they  are  acting  cruelly." 

On  the  following  day  the  chief  called  upon  his  visitors,  and, 
after  saluting  them  gravely,  said,  — 

"  Now  every  thing  is  ready,  will  you  come  and  see  us 
worship  the  shigmne  ?  " 

As  the  party  passed  through  the  village,  they  noticed  all 
the  Ainos  were  busily  engaged  making  ifiaJio,  which  were 
placed  in  front  of  the  huts,  in  the  window-apertures,  and  on  all 
prominent  places.  Every  one  was  dressed  in  his  best  robes ; 
the  women  wore  their  jewelry,  and  the  men  their  swords ;  even 
the  yellow,  wolf-like  dogs,  of  which  there  were  hundreds, 
having  a  sleek  look  as  though  they  had  been  brushed  for  the 
occasion. 

"  This  is  evidently  a  very  solemn  ceremonial,"  remarked  the 
Professor.  "  Fitz,  1  trust  you  will  be  discreet,  and  not  make 
remarks  that  will  cause  these  poor  people  to  feel  mortified." 

"  They  do  not  understand  what  I  say,  sir,"  answered  the 
boy.  "  Besides,  I  would  not  hurt  their  feelings  on  any  account: 
they  might  stop  the  obsequies." 

His  father  frowned,  and  was  about  to  reply,  when  they 
arrived  at  a  cleared  place  In  the  rear  of  the  village,  where  they 


lYOMANTE.  141 

beheld  a  matted  enclosure,  the  back  of  which  was  surmounted 
with  peeled  branches  of  trees  decorated  with  the  skulls  of 
bears,  many  inaho,  and  weapons. 

The  Americans  were  conducted  to  rude  seats,  covered  with 
skins  placed  on  new  mats  of  red  and  brown  reeds. 

"  We  shall  have  an  excellent  view  here,"  said  Sallie.  "  Oh  ! 
isn't  this  interesting?  There  is  the  poor  bear  lying  on  the 
mat." 

"  That  is  only  his  skin,"  said  Fitz,  who  had  regarded  it 
critically.  "  Oto  says  they  finished  the  body  at  supper  last 
night.  They  are  very  sensible  heathen  :  they  don't  mind  mak- 
ing soup  of  their  gods." 

"Hush!"  said  the  Professor.  "What  are  these  old  men 
going  to  do  ?  " 

"Wish  they  would  give  us  a  programme,"  murmured  Fitz. 

Habo,  who  knelt  near  them,  bowed  and  whispered,  — 

"  These  are  three  chiefs  of  other  tribes,  who  have  come  to 
witness  the  festival  of  lyomante.  Setta-eye's  wife  is  putting  a 
mat  on  the  ground  where  they  are  to  sit,  to  show  that  this  tribe 
wishes  to  pay  them  great  respect." 

The  patriarchs  took  their  places,  the  senior  on  the  right  and 
the  junior  on  the  left.  All  of  them  had  shaggy  heads  of  hair, 
heavy  eyebrows  and  moustache,  and  trimmed  beards,  and  were 
otherwise  as  hairy  as  bears,  which  they  strongly  resembled. 

"What  enormous  earrings  they  wear !  "  said  Johnnie  to  his 
sister.  "  It  is  stranee,  the  men  of  all  semi-barbarous  nations 
should  use  those  adornments." 

While  the  chiefs  were  seating  themselves,  the  whole  village 
had  assembled,  and  taken  their  places  on  either  side  of  the 
foreign  guests. 

Setta-eye,  who  was  very  dignified,  waited   until   every  thing 


142 


THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OE   YEZO. 


was  quiet :   then  gracefully  saluting  the  Americans,  introduced 
the  old  men  as  follows  :  — 

•  "  These  elders  are  from  tribes  through  whose  districts  you 
will  pass  on  your  way  northward.  They  desire  to  salute  you, 
and  to  say  their  lives  are  at  your  disposal.  The  first  is  named 
Poro-Parumbe,  the  second  Kure  Kina,  the  third  Taiki  Kamoi- 
yashi "  (ghost  of  a  tlea). 

"  I    wish    we    only   encountered    the    latter,"  said    Johnnie. 
"  That  old  fellow  was  misnamed." 

His  father  made  a  gesture  of  caution  ;  and  the  three  chiefs 


AINO    CHIEFS    SALUTING    STRANGERS. 


placed  their  left  hands  over  their  right,  and  began  to  rub  them. 
This  they  continued  to  do  for  over  five  minutes ;  during  which 
time  they  looked  very  grave,  and  regarded  the  foreigners  with 
great  reverence. 

At  a  signal  from  Setta-eye,  they  raised  their  hands,  and 
placed  them  on  the  top  of  their  heads. 

"That,"  whispered  Habo,  "means,  they  respect  you  so 
much,  that  they  wish  to  place  you  on  their  heads." 

"  Sit  on  them  ?  "  inquired  Fitz.     "  Not  to-day,  thank  you." 

Setta-eye  made  another  signal,  seeing  which  the  three 
chiefs  brought  their  hands   down  over  their  faces  and  beards, 


lYOMANTE.  143 

and  uttered  a  whining  noise,  ending  with  a  sharp  cry  Hke  the 
bark  of  a  dog.  When  this  had  been  repeated  three  times,  they 
rose,  and  joined  the  spectators. 

Setta-eye  bowed,  and,  pointing  to  the  enclosure,  said  (his 
speech  being  translated  by  Habo), — 

"  To-day  we  have  built  that  god-fence,  in  order  to  honor 
the  deity  who  lies  there.  You  see  it  is  formed  of  nice  new 
mats,  and  that  we  have  adorned  it  with  the  skulls  of  the 
god-bears  who  have  gone  before  this  one,  with  Kocha-kami " 
(ancient-god)  ''inaho,  with  old  swords,  bows  and  arrows,  leather 
aprons,  and  oukari-c\uhs.  The  arukitsufu'  (god-bear)  "reclines 
with  dignity  upon  a  new  mat,  with  his  nose  sniffing  at  cups  of 
wine  and  oil.  On  either  side  of  him  are  beautiful  articles 
given  our  ancestors  by  the  gods  "  (Japanese  officials),  "  and  the 
entrance  is  adorned  with  wooden  vases  containing  bamboo- 
grass.  The  god  has  rings  in  his  ears,  and  a  sword  on  his  left 
side  ;  and  those  boxes  contain  the  clothes  he  is  going  to  wear, 
now  he  is  a  deity." 

Setta-eye  then  bowed  and  retired.  Immediately  after  this, 
three  mats  were  placed  in  front  of  the  enclosure,  and  the  chief, 
having  put  on  a  kami-shimo  (ceremonial  coat,  that  has  wing- 
like projections  on  the  shoulders),  removed  his  crown,  and  knelt 
directly  opposite  the  bear,  his  eldest  son  being  on  his  right,  and 
his  youngest  on  his  left.  The  three  old  chiefs  then  took  up 
their  positions  on  the  mat  upon  his  left,  the  master  of  the 
ceremonies  on  the  mat  upon  his  right,  while  the  foster-mother 
of  the  bear,  with  her  husband  and  child,  were  honored  with 
places  behind  him.' 

"  How  exceedingly  interesting! "  murmured  the  Professor. 

The  chief  bowed  his  head  to   the  mat,  uttered  the  peculiar 

'    I'^ide  Frontispiece. 


144 


THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


Aino  cry,  terminating  in  a  sharp  bark,  after  which,  taking  a  cup 
that  had  been  filled  by  his  son,  dipped  a  sake-slxok.  in  it,  and 
made  three  libations  to  the  bear.  This  done,  he  solemnly  raised 
his  moustache  with  the  stick,  and  drank  the  wine.  He  per- 
formed the  ceremony  thrice,  the  privileged  ones  on  the  mats 

repeating  the  action  once. 

The  servants,  from  time  to 
time,  brought  fresh  supplies  of 
sake,  fish,  and  rice;  and  the  cere- 
mony soon  resembled  a  picnic, 
much  food  being  consumed  and 
sake  drank  in  honor  of  the  god. 
Two  ancient  swords  were  then 
brought  by  an  old  man,  and  laid 
before  the  bear;  after  which 
Setta-eye  offered  it  more  wine 
and  food,  and  said  in  a  very 
impressive  manner,  — 

"  Churu  karnoi  tanezva  kokuno 
kantoi  in  akatsu,  tan  nakinetemate 
siniriuiso  wan.  SJiekan  na  kamoi 
nia  mutsu  Oya  wa  churu  ki  7iankorii  kuno  shu  tachikanatene 
ye  chiroku  kanan  kanan  hatsu  cJiiman  nieshinar 

("My  god,  to-day  I,  the  chief,  send  you  forth  as  a  god.  If 
you  come  again  —  as  a  little  bear  —  next  year,  I  will  take  care 
of   you.     Now  you  kindly  leave.") 

"  How  intensely  interesting !  "  said  the  Professor,  "  Our 
ancestors  must  have  practised  just  such  rites.  This  is  looking 
back  thousands  of  years." 

"They  require  enlightenment,"  quietly  replied  his  wife. 
"To  me  this  scene  is  very  saddening." 


SERVING    WINE    AT    lYOMANTE 


lYOMANTE. 


145 


"  I  am  afraid  they  would  not  value  our  teaching,"  said 
Johnnie.  "  You  see  the  lyomaiite  combines  a  feed  of  bear- 
soup  with  much  sake-^\.x\\\V\\'\'g  :  they  would  not  care  to  ex- 
chanofe  such  a  faith  for  ours." 

"  Jes'  so,"  said  Fitz,  whose  eyes  twinkled  with  merriment. 
"  Besides,  they  could  not  make  soup  of  their  teachers." 

"That  will  do,  my  son,"  gently  remarked  his  mother. 


OURI    SALUTATION. 


The  rest  of  the  ceremony  consisted  in  drinking  sa/cc',  which 
did  not  prove  very  interesting  to  the  foreigners,  who,  after 
thanking  Setta-eye,  returned  home. 

As  they  neared  their  house,  they  saw  two  Ainos,  a  man 
and  woman,  squatting  on  the  ground,  holding  each  other's 
hands,  and  makinof  a  dismal  howlinof  noise. 

"  What  are  they  doing  ?  "  asked  Mrs.  Jewett. 


146  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF  YEZO. 

"Performing  oiiri'"  (salutation),  said  Habo.  "They  are 
brother  and  sister  \\\\o  ha\e  been  parted  :  \vatch  them." 

The  man  held  the  woman's  hand  for  a  few  seconds,  then, 
suddenly  releasing  his  hold,  grasped  her  by  both  ears,  and 
uttered  the  Aino  cr}-.  Then  they  stroked  one  another  down 
the  face  and  shoulders,  and,  once  more  clasping  hands,  shed 
tears  of  joy. 

"These  people  are  very  glad  to  see  one  another,"  said 
Habo.     "  That  man    has   been  on   the   coast  fishinor,  and    has 

O 

only  just  returned." 

"I  thought  they  were  sick,"  said  Fitz.  "Why  do  you 
always  bark  like  that  ?  " 

"  We  do  it  to  honor  our  ancestors,"  she  replied,  "It  is  an 
old  Aino  fashion." 

Presently  they  encountered  one  of  their  servants,  who,  as 
they  passed  her,  knelt,  and  placed  her  right  forefinger  on  her 
upper  lip. 

"  What  is  INIatek-isep  signalling  about?"  inquired  Johnnie. 

"  She  is  very  polite,"  answered  Habo.  "  When  an  Aino 
girl  meets  a  friend,  she  salutes  in  that  way." 

"  I  suppose  that  is  another  old  Aino  custom,"  said  Fitz. 

"  Yes :  it  was  taught  our  ancestors  by  the  wife  of  the  god 
Kocha.     An  Aino  girl  is  too  bashful  to  speak." 

Upon  entering  the  house  they  saw  a  large  iron  pot  con- 
taining a  stew  made  of  bcar's-flesh,  ground  millet,  /^(^cz -roots, 
and  fish-oil. 

"This  is  your  share  of  the  feast,"  said  Habo.  "The  chief 
has  sent  it  with  his  respects.  It  is  very  good,  and  such  food 
will  make  your  hair  beautiful  and  gloss)." 

"  It  would  turn  mine  gray,"  murmured  Fitz.  "  I  have 
heard   that  bear's  grease   is   a  good  thing  for  the  hair,  but  I 


lYOMANTE.  147 

decline  to  take  it  internally.     This  is  the  worst  chowder  I  ever 
saw," 

As  he   spoke   in  English,  Habo  had   not  understood  him: 


AINO    WOMAN'S    RECOGNITION. 


however,  she  guessed  by  his  tone  that  he  was  not  anxious  to 
partake  of  the  meal,  so  she  said  in  an  aside,  — 

"The  servants  will  be  very  happy  to  eat  that  for  you.     It  is 
very  strengthening,  and  makes  one  live  a  long  time." 


148 


THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


"  Go  ahead,  then,"  he  whispered.     "  May  you  all  live  to  be 
a  hundred  years  old !     I  do  not  envy  you." 

"  Come  to  the  door,  and  look  at  these  men,"  said   Sallie. 
"  Here  is  a  curious  sight." 

They  joined  her,  and  beheld   two  Ainos  kneeling  close  to 
each  other,  knee  to  knee,  and  uttering  the  dog-like  cry. 
"What  is  that  caper?"  said  Fitz  to  Habo. 
"That  is  oiiri  too,"  she  replied.     "Those  men  are  relatives. 

The  old  one  has  grasped 
his  son's  ears,  and  now 
they  are  going  to  cry." 

The  men  did  as  she 
said,  and  continued  to 
weep  for  over  twenty  min- 
utes ;  after  which  they 
calmly  rose,  lighted  their 
pipes,  and  went  on  their 
way. 

"  We  shed  tears  when 
w^e  meet  after  long  separa- 
tion," said  Habo. 

"  We  do  it  when  we 
are  parting  from  our 
friends,"  said  Sallie.  "  We  very  seldom  cry  when  w^e  meet 
them." 

"  You  used   to   cry  when  aunt  Allen  visited  us,"  mischiev- 
ously remarked  Fitz. 

"  Don't    tease    me    so,   brother,"   she    replied.     "I    do    not 
believe  you  like  her  any  more  than   I  do." 

"  Who  is  your  aunt  Allen  ?  "  asked  Oto.     "  I  fail  to  remem- 
ber ever  havinor  seen  her." 


MEETING    OF    FATHER    AND    SON 


lYOMANTE.  149 

"  No,"  said  Johnnie.  "  She  never  inflicted  herself  upon  our 
household  after  you  came  to  stay  with  us." 

"  I  suppose  she  did  not  want  to  associate  with  a  Japanese," 
said  Oto,  smiling;  "or,  maybe,  she  took  me  for  a  heathen 
Chinee." 

"  I  will  tell  you,"  said  Sallie.  "  Aunt  Allen  is  not  at  all 
nice :  she  is  mean,  suspicious,  narrow-minded,  and  insincere. 
But  that  is  her  misfortune.  She  has  been,  all  her  life,  in  a 
village,  and  has  never  known  the  great  world.  She  hates  the 
English,  because  our  ancestors  had  a  little  unpleasantness  with 
them  ;  will  not  speak  to  her  neighbor,  on  account  of  the  latter 
not  belonging  to  her  church  ;  and  is,  altogether,  an  unlovable 
being.  But  papa  says  we  ought  to  overlook  her  faults,  because 
she  has  never  had  an  opportunity  of  seeing  any  place  but  West 
Stonehill :  so  we  try  to  endure  her  society." 

"We  have  such  people  in  Japan,"  said  the  young  doctor; 
"  and  to  them  applies  the  proverb,  'The  toad  in  the  well  knows 
not  the  great  ocean.'  " 

They  dined  upon  some  delicious  venison  and  salmon,  sent 
them  by  Setta-eye,  who,  during  their  stay  in  his  village,  had 
supplied  their  table  with  fish  and  game. 

Hokuyak-bets  was  swarming  with  salmon,  and  the  3'oung 
Americans  had  often  regretted  not  having  brought  fishing- 
tackle  with  them. 

The  ceremony  of  lyomaiite  lasted  for  nearly  a  week,  during 
which  time  the  Ainos  freely  indulged  in  sake.  When  the 
festival  was  over,  the  men  went  into  the  mountains  to  hunt; 
and  the  women  tilled  the  patches  of  grain,  and  split  and  wove 
the  bark  of  a  tree  from  which  they  make  their  clothing. 

The  bear's  skin  was  duly  cured  and  dried,  then  presented  to 
Mrs.  Jewett  by  Setta-eye. 


150  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

"  You  cannot  say  you  did  not  see  it  killed,  mother,"  said 
Fitz.     "  I  think  you  were  entitled  to  its  pelt." 

The  weather  was  delightfully  mild  up  in  the  mountains ;  and 
the  party  were  so  pleased  with  Hokuyak-bets  and  its  chief,  that 
they  lingered  nearly  a  month  in  the  place,  every  thing  going 
on  just  as  though  they  were  not  there. 

Twice  the  Professor  and  boys  went  bear-hunting,  and  were 
rewarded  by  securing  three  fine  hokuyak.  As  usual,  Fitz 
enjoyed  himself,  and  had  an  adventure  which  caused  much 
merriment  to  his  friends. 

They  had  been  hunting  all  the  morning,  and  were  resting 
and  refreshing  themselves  with  luncheon,  when  one  of  the  dogs 
began  to  whimper  as  though  he  smelt  a  bear.  The  Ainos  said 
it  was  a  puppy,  and  did  not  know  any  thing ;  but  that  did  not 
satisfy  Fitz,  who,  hastily  finishing  his  repast,  ascended  a  rocky 
eminence,  and,  taking  out  a  field-glass,  began  to  scan  the 
scenery. 

"  You  will  not  see  a  trace  of  a  bear,"  said  his  brother. 
"  That  docT  orives  tonorue  whenever  it  feels  in  the  humor. 
Come  down  and  take  a  rest  while  you  have  a  chance." 

"  Scssch,  scssch !  "  went  Fitz,  making  a  signal  that  he  had 
discovered  the  game,  and  suddenly  throwing  himself  upon  his 
stomach. 

The  Professor  regarded  him  with  an  amused  expression,  and 
said, — 

"  He  will  be  tired  out  before  night.  See,  he  is  levelling  his 
weapon  at  something." 

"  He  will  hit  it,"  said  the  young  doctor.  "  Fitz  is  becoming 
a  first-rate  shot." 

A  puff  of  smoke  came  from  the  rifle,  and  they  heard  the 
ping  of  the  bullet. 


lYOMANTE.  1 5 1 

The  young  hunter  put  his  glass  to  his  eyes,  and  eagerly 
regarded  something  in  the  valley,  then,  cautioning  his  friends 
with  his  hand,  reloaded  and  fired. 

"  I  believe  it  is  a  bear,"  exclaimed  the  Professor,     "  Come, 
boys,  let  us  join  Fitz." 

They  grasped  their  rifles,  and  climbed  up  to  the  plateau  ; 
when  Fitz  said  in  a  low  tone,  — 

"  I  have  hit  him  twice,  but  he  don't  budge.  He  is  down 
there,  between  those  two  trees." 

They  levelled  their  glasses  at  the  object,  and  simultaneously 
exclaimed, — 

"  Yes,  it  is  a  bear  !  " 

In  a  few  moments  the  whole  party  w^as  blazing  away  like  an 
old-fashioned  target  company. 

"  I  saw  it  move  its  head,"  said  Fitz. 

"  Suppose  we  try  closer  quarters,"  suggested  the  Professor, 
after  the  twentieth  round.  "  I  think  the  bear  must  have  been 
shot  through  the  heart." 

Just  then  the  Ainos  —  who  had  staid  below  in  order  to 
devour  the  remains  of  the  lunch — joined  them,  and,  on  seeing 
the  object  of  their  attack,  said,  — 

"  The  bear  is  dead  !  " 

"  I  thought  so,"  said  Fitz,  who  had  learned  a  few  words  of 
their  language.  "  Come,  let  us  go  and  examine  my  prize,  and 
secure  its  skin." 

"  Your  prize  !  "  said  Johnnie.     "  We  all  helped  to  kill  him." 

"  Certainly  we  did,"  added  his  father.  "  I  fired  the  shot 
that  made  it  wag  its  head." 

"  I  do  not  want  to  be  too  confident,"  remarked  Oto  ;  "  but  I 
believe  my  third  shot  setded  the  creature.  I  could  see  its  eyes 
glistening,  and  I  struck  it  in  a  vital  spot." 


152  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

"  What  are  those  Ainos  grinning  at?"  said  Fitz,  in  a  some- 
what annoyed  tone. 

"The  bear  is  dead !  "  once  more  exclaimed  the  hunters. 

"We  know  that,"  said  Fitz;  addino-  in  EnMish,  "I  do  not 
hke  to  be  laughed  at  by  savages." 

The  descent  into  the  valley  proved  to  be  somewhat  danger- 
ous, and  the  party  had  several  severe  mishaps. 

"  I  am  afraid  I  have  sprained  my  ankle,"  said  the  Professor. 
"This  is  very  hard  travelling." 

"  Better  rest,  sir,"  said  the  young  doctor.  "  It  is  some 
distance  to  where  the  bear  is  lying.  I  will  remain  with  you 
while  the  boys  and  hunters  go  and  secure  the  skin." 

The  Professor  and  Oto  seated  themselves,  and  watched  the 
lads. 

They  descended  quite  recklessly,  and  raced  to  see  who 
should  first  examine  the  prize,  finally  reaching  it  almost 
simultaneously. 

"What  makes  the  Ainos  laugh  so?"  queried  the  Professor. 
"  My  sons  look  as  mad  as  hornets.  Why,  they  are  coming 
back  without  touching  it !  " 

Neither  of  the  lads  hurried ;  and  when  they  got  within 
hailing  distance,  Oto  shouted,  — 

"  Was  it  not  a  bear  ? " 

"  Yes,"  grumbled  Johnnie. 

Not  another  word  w^as  spoken  until  they  rejoined  the  party, 
when  the  Professor  remarked,  — 

"  I  suppose  the  skin  is  shot  all  to  pieces  and  quite  useless." 
Fitz,  who  could   no  lonpfer  contain   himself,  burst  out  lauo-h- 
ing,  and  said,  — 

"  The  hunters  were  right  when  they  said,  '  The  bear  is  dead.' 
It  ceased  to  suffer  a  month  ago." 


lYOMANTE. 


153 


They  had  great  fun  over  this  adventure  ;  and,  as  the  hght 
was  failing,  made  the  best  of  their  way  home. 

The  next  morning  the  Professor  told  the  chief  he  must  start 
for  the  north,  on  hearing  which  Setta-eye  said,  — 


AINO    WRESTLING    WITH    BEAR. 


"  Before  you  go,  you  should  see  one  of  my  people  wrestle 
with  a  bear  which  we  captured  last  winter.  It  is  a  very  clever 
animal,  and  understands  every  thing  that  is  said  to  it." 

The  gentlemen  of  the  party  witnessed  the  exhibition,  which 
took  place  in  a  large  hut  that  served  as  a  "  city  hall "  for  the 
tribe. 


154  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

When  the  bear  was  led  out  of  its  cage,  it  was  confronted  by 
a  hairy  Aino,  who,  seizing  it  under  and  over  its  fore-arms, 
huo-o-ed  it,  and  strove  to  hft  it  off  the  c^round.  After  w-resthnof 
for  a  while,  the  shaggy  brute  rushed  to  the  window,  and,  before 
the  Ainos  could  prevent  it,  escaped  through  the  aperture,  and 
made  for  the  mountains,  followed  in  hot  haste  by  the  chief,  his 
people,  and  about  five  hundred  yellow  dogs. 

"  Go  it !  "  cried  Fitz.  "  I  hope  the  critter  will  get  off.  It 
is  rough  to  be  trotted  out  for  wrestling-matches,  and  then 
squeezed  to  death  and  worshipped  at  lyomanter 

The  chief  did  not  return  until  nightfall,  when  he  sorrowfully 
remarked  to  the  Professor,  — 

"  The  bear  has  departed." 

"We  must  go- to-morrow,"  was  the  reply.  "We  shall  never 
forget  your  hospitality." 

Setta-eye  saluted  them  in  his  courteous  way,  and,  sighing, 
exclaimed,  —  ^ 

"  Then  my  heart  will  be  heavy.  All  one's  friends  leave  at 
the  same  time." 


IN  THE    WILDS    OF    YEZO.  1 55 


CHAPTER   IX. 

IN   THE   WILDS   OF   VEZO. 

"  Y'oit,  O  sea,  are  our  father,  and  you,  forest,  our  motJier :  lue  humbly  present 
our  thanks  to  you  both.     Do  not  be  Jealous  if  we  leave  one  to  remain  7vith  the  other. 
"  Our  home  is  in  the  dense  forests  that  lie  in  the  heart  of  Vezo."  —  AlNO'S 

Sl'EECH. 

CHIEF  SETTA-EYE  was  destined  not  to  lose  his  guests  for 
a  while.  The  Professor's  sprain,  which  the  first  day  had 
appeared  a  trifling  matter,  prevented  him  from  starting,  and, 
indeed,  threatened  to  keep  him  a  prisoner  at  Hokuyak-bets. 

"  How  long  do  you  think  it  will  be  before  I  am  fit  to 
travel  ? "  he  inquired  of  Oto. 

"  Probably  a  fortnight,"  answered  the  young  doctor.  "  Yes- 
terday you  walked  from  the  mountain,  then,  instead  of  resting, 
went  to  see  the  man  wrestle  with  the  bear.  The  only  thing  is, 
to  keep  your  foot  from  the  ground,  and  to  take  matters  easy." 

"  Well,  I  suppose  I  will  have  to  do  as  you  advise,"  said  the 
Professor  with  a  sigh.  "While  I  am  chained  here,  you  and 
the  boys  had  better  visit  Lake  Kutzu-chako  on  the  south-east, 
near  Nemoro.  Habo  tells  me  a  wonderful  story  of  an  Aino 
fort  built  on  the  top  of  a  mound  on  the  shore  of  the  lake,  the 
water  of  which  never  freezes.  As  I  very  much  doubt  that 
the  Yezo-jin  were  ever  smart  enough  to  make  a  fortification,  I 
would  like  you  to  go  to  the  place.  Perhaps  you  will  find  it  is  a 
dolmen  or  a  hillock  erected  by  mound-builders.  Anyhow  the 
trip  will  serve  to  while  away  the  time." 


156  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS    OF   YEZO. 

They  consulted  the  chief,  who  not  only  approved  of  the 
plan,  but  offered  to  accompany  them. 

The  party  consisted  of  Fitz,  Johnnie,  Oto,  Setta-eye,  Habo, 
and  about  fifty  Ainos,  who  were  armed  with  bows  and  poisoned 
arrows,  and  carried  long  spears. 

"  This  is  w^hat  I  call  having  a  good  time,"  remarked  Fitz. 
"  We  shall,  no  doubt,  encounter  a  great  many  adventures." 

The  country  was  very  mountainous,  and  on  all  sides  they 
saw  evidences  of  volcanic  action. 

After  three  days  of  exceedingly  hard  travel,  they  arrived  at 
a  plateau  overlooking  a  beautiful  lake. 

"This  is  Kutzu-chako,"  said  Habo;-  "and  there,  on  the 
right,  is  Menka-koshi ;  that  w^as  made  by  the  Ainos,  and  used 
as  a  place  of  retreat  against  their  enemies." 

The  view  was  very  beautiful.  At  their  feet  was  the  lake, 
on  the  blue  waters  of  which  rested  a  number  of  small  craft, 
and  far  off  rose  the  peaks  of  Mounts  Meacan  and  Oakan. 

"Those  are  extinct  volcanoes,"  said  Oto.  "This  whole 
island  is  dotted  with  such  objects.  See  how  red  the  sides 
look,  as  though  the  fires  beneath  them  had  just  gone  out." 

The  travellers  descended  into  the  village,  and  paid  their 
respects  to  the  officer  of  the  Kaitakushi,  who  proved  to  be  a 
very  pleasant  gentleman. 

"  I  will  take  you  to  the  old  fort  to-morrow,"  he  remarked. 
"  It  is  well  worth  visiting.  Now  rest  yourselves,  and  enjoy  my 
poor  hospitality." 

The  official's  house  was  surrounded  by  a  stockade ;  but  there 
was  no  gate  at  the  entrance,  or  any  sign  that  it  was  fortified 
against  the  Ainos. 

The  travellers  were  accommodated  with  nice  rooms,  and  a 
mess  of  fresh  fish  was  cooked  for  their  supper. 


158  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

"  There  are  quite  a  number  of  Japanese  living  here,"  re- 
marked Johnnie.  "  One  would  scarcely  think  it  paid  them  to 
settle  in  such  an  out-of-the-way  place." 

"  We  raise  a  great  deal  of  wheat  in  this  district,"  an- 
swered their  host;  '•  and  the  fishing  of  the  lake  is  quite  profit- 
able." 

Soon  after  the  repast  the  boys  begged  permission  to  retire, 
saying  they  had  not  had  a  good  night's  rest  since  they  left 
Hokuyak-bets. 

At  daybreak  they  were  aroused  by  Habo,  who  said, — 

"Come  and  see  the  Japanese  catching  _;)y?<^6^"  (crayfish): 
"  it  is  very  amusing." 

The  boys  hurried  on  their  clothes,  and  ran  down  to  the 
shore,  where  they  saw  a  number  of  fishermen  hauling  a  seine. 
There  were  about  twenty  adults  in  the  party,  and  they  were 
making  noise  enough  for  two  hundred.  When  the  net  was 
dragged  on  to  the  beach,  they  emptied  its  contents  into  seine- 
shaped  baskets  of  bamboo,  then  signalled  the  boats  in  the 
centre  of  the  lake  to  approach  and  take  the  catch. 

"  Where  do  those  craft  come  from  ?  "  inquired  Johnnie. 

"  From  Katsurakoi,"  Habo  answered.  "  There  the  fish  are 
put  on  board  junks,  and  taken  to  Hakodate,  where  they  are 
dried,  and  exported  to  China." 

The  boys  watched  the  fishermen  fill  their  baskets,  and  when 
the  last  crayfish  was  captured  the  lads  returned  to  their  host, 
the  Japanese  official.  After  breakfast,  they  started  in  a  boat 
for  Menka-koshi,  a  distance  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  from 
their  friend's  residence. 

The  sun  was  very  warm,  and  the  air  swarmed  with  enormous 
drao-on-flies  that  flew  hither  and  thither  and  made  a  whirrino; 
sound. 


l6o  THE   BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

"We  call  those  'darning-needles'  at  home,"  said  Fitz. 
"  Ha/e  you  ever  seen  them  kill  their  prey  ? " 

"What  do  they  feed  upon?"  asked  Oto.  "I  never  saw 
them  do  any  thing  but  fly  from  one  rush  to  another." 

"They  hunt  the  daddy-longlegs,"  answered  the  boy.  "I 
have  watched  them  many  a  time.  Poor  old  daddy  would  be 
sailing  round  enjo)ing  himself,  when  along  would  come  the 
dragon-fly  ;  and  in  another  instant  the  daddy  would  be  lying 
headless  on  the  veranda,  and  master  dragon-fly  would  fly  off, 
picking  his  teeth,  and  looking  out  for  another  victim." 

"  There  is  Menka-koshi,"  said  their  guide,  pointing  to  a 
rocky  hummock  ahead  of  them.  "  We  can  sail  all  round  it, 
but  can  only  land  in  one  place." 

"  I  see  there  is  a  regular  corduroy  road  built  to  the  summit," 
said  Johnnie.     "  I  do  not  believe  the  Ainos  ever  made  that." 

Upon  reaching  the  landing-place,  they  anchored  the  craft, 
went  on  shore,  and  began  to  ascend  the  road,  which  meandered 
spirally  round  the  fort. 

The  steps  were  not  made  of  timber,  but  were  formed  by 
splitting  out  layers  of  rock  :  this  had  evidently  been  done  a 
long  time  ago,  the  pathway  in  some  places  being  obstructed  by 
large  trees. 

The  travellers  toiled  along  the  ascent,  and  finally  reached 
the  top,  which  proved  to  be  of  solid  rock,  and  as  flat  as  a  table. 

"  This  was  levelled  by  skilled  masons,"  said  Oto.  "  1  believe 
it  was  made  by  the  Japanese  general,  who  centuries  ago  con- 
quered some  of  the  wild  tribes  in  this  part  of  Yezo.  You  see 
there  are  the  marks  of  the  chisels  on  this  rock." 

"  I  suppose  this  was  fortified  to  command  the  lake,"  said 
Johnnie.  "  Even  now  it  would  be  a  good  place  on  which  to 
build  a  battery." 


1 62  THE  BEAR-WORSHJPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

The  entire  mound  was  a  mass  of  granite,  sparsely  covered 
with  black  soil. 

The  Aino  rose  and  wild  honeysuckle  illuminated  the  other- 
wise bare  places,  and  clothed  the  mountain  with  a  glory,  the 
fragrance  of  which  delighted  the  foreigners,  and  made  even 
the  natives  sniff  and  exclaim,  — 

"  Pirika  !  Pirika  !  "   (good  !  good  !) 

"  Menka-koshi,  who  was  reported  to  have  made  this  road, 
and  to  have  fortified  this  hill,  was  a  great  chief,"  said  Habo. 
"  He  was  very  tall,  and  as  strong  as  a  bear." 

"  He  must  have  been,  to  have  done  what  we  see  here,"  said 
Fitz.  "  My  opinion  is,  that  the  story  was  made  out  of  whole 
cloth.  Down  in  Massachusetts  we  have  rocks  on  which  folks 
say  Masconomo  used  to  stand  when  he  addressed  his  tribe.  I 
do  not  believe  old  Masco  ever  went  within  five  miles  of  some 
of  them.  It  is  very  easy  to  invent  a  legend  for  a  locality,  and 
I  guess  that  is  what  the  Ainos  have  done  in  this  case." 

They  returned  to  the  setdement,  and  strolled  round  it,  chat- 
ting with  the  Japanese  ;  all  of  whom  spoke  as  though  they  were 
in  exile,  and  said  they  should  be  glad  when  they  got  back  to 
their  country. 

"  It  is  quite  home-like  to  see  nurse-girls  walking  about  with 
children  on  their  backs,"  said  Oto.  "  One  might  almost  fancy 
himself  near  Hakone." 

As  they  were  talking  they  heard  a  cry,  — 
''Ah,  honkewa   Osaka  Adzuchi  mac  hi  Nobuyama  kaden  no 
senkintan  I " 

("  Patent  thousand-gold  medicine,  the  secret  of  which  No- 
buyama of  Adzuchi  Street,  Osaka,  has  inherited.") 

''  Hai!"  cried  Johnnie.  "What!  are  the  senkintan  men 
up  here  ? " 


IN   THE    WILDS    OF    YEZO.  1 63 

They  turned  a  corner,  and  beheld  one  of  the  most  extraor- 
dinary sights  they  had  seen  in  Yezo. 

An  old  Aino,  who  had  been  drinkinof  sake  and  offerino- 
hiaho  until  he  was  overcome  with  the  wine  and  relip-ious 
observance,  had  been  startled  from  his  slumber  by  the  cries 
of  two  sleek-looking  Japanese,  who,  mounted  on  high  clogs, 
were  industriously  visiting  the  settlers,  in  order  to  vend  the 
celebrated  patent  nostrum  known  as  senkintan  (thousand-gold 
medicine).  These  indefatigable  fellows  swarm  all  over  the 
empire,  travel  in  couples,  and  chant  the  virtues  of  their  panacea 
as  follows :  — 

''  A-a,  sono  mata  kusurino  kono  zva!  A- a,  dai-ichi  hi-i  zvo 
totonoye,  tan-seki,  7'iuin,  shiyokti-atari  ;  a-a,  dzutsiL  to  memai 
tachi-gurami ;  a-a  shorn  imtshibai'-a-itami  ni  shiyohi-dziikayer 

("  Oh  !  these  are  the  properties  of  this  medicine  !  It  makes 
the  stomach  and  the  spleen  strong.  It  is  very  good  for  hoarse- 
ness and  colds,  pyrosis,  and  the  result  of  eating  decayed  food. 
It  cures  headache,  giddiness,  and  dizziness  on  awakening,  and 
is  valuable  for  children's  diseases.") 

"  What  is  the  old  man  mad  about  ?  "  inquired  Fitz  of  Habo. 
"  He  is  jabbering  to  that  boy  as  though  he  were  out  of  his 
mind." 

The  boy  referred  to  was  carrying  three  rods  used  by  the 
Aino  in  a  game  played  by  throwing  a  hoop  into  the  air  and 
catching  it  on  a  stick.' 

Habo  listened  to  the  conversation  between  her  countrymen, 
then  said,  — 

"  The  old  gentleman  is  very  pious,  and  has  been  making 
many  inaho  and  drinking  a  great  quantity  of  sake!' 

"  Yes,  he  looks  like  it,"  said  Fitz  with  a  nod. 

'    Vide  cover 


IN  THE    WILDS   OF   YEZO.  1 65 

"He  said,"  continued  Habo,  "'This  is  a  very  annoying 
thing.  What  do  those  Japanese  mean  by  yelhng  in  my  ear 
when  I  am  sleeping  ? '  He  hopped  round  in  order  to  show  his 
displeasure  ;  and  the  boy  laughed,  and  returned,  '  Oh !  those 
men  sell  a  wonderful  thing.  It  cures  all  diseases.  You  had 
better  try  some  of  it.'  —  '  Foolishness  !  Foolishness  ! '  replied 
the  old  fellow.  '  There  is  only  one  medicine  fit  for  an  Aino, 
that  is  sake.' " 

The  senkintan-v&nd^YS  ,  listened  to  the  foregoing  with 
amused  faces,  then  turned,  took  opposite  sides  of  the  street, 
raised  their  umbrellas  above  their  heads,  and  went  off  at  a 
swinging  trot,  crying,  — 

"  Ah,  honkezva  Osaka  Adzuchi  mac  Id  Nobuyama  kade^i  no 
senkintan  !  " 

"  They  beat  everything,"  said  Oto.  "Whoever  expected 
to  find  senkijitan  men  in  this  out-of-the-way  place  ?  " 

"  Where  do  they  come  from  ?  "  inquired  Johnnie. 

"From  Osaka,"  said  the  young  doctor.  "A  quack  named 
Nobuyama  concocted  a  mixture  of  starch,  catechu,  thuya,  .and 
licorice,  which  he  flavored  with  elecampane,  peppermint,  cloves, 
and  camphor,  and  made  into  little  cakes  divided  into  twenty 
portions,  covered  with  tinfoil,  each  square  being  a  dose. 
Minute  directions  accompany  the  package,  and  the  article  is 
used  externally  as  well  as  internally.  It  has  never  been  known 
to  kill  any  one,  and  many  people  have  imagined  it  has  cured 
them  of  serious  ailments.  In  order  to  advertise  it,  he  hired 
hundreds  of  good-looking  young  men,  and  furnished  them  with 
a  uniform  consisting  of  handsome  kimono''  (coats),  "oiled- 
paper  cloaks,  leggings,  high  clogs,  and  umbrellas  bearing  his 
sign, —  two  circles  interlocked.  Each  man  carries  a  little 
portmanteau  decorated  v/ith  the  trade -mark.      This   receptacle 


i66 


THE  BEAR-IVORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


contains  several  dozen  packages  of  the  scnJziiitaii.  Twenty 
squares  sell  for  ten  cents,  and  forty  for  twenty.  The  pedlers 
chant  their  cry  of  '  A-a!  honkezva   Osaka'  etc.,  and  make  poor 


•Jt-crfz  c 


ignorant  people  curious  to  buy.  Now,  they  say  his  emissaries 
have  not  only  gone  to  China,  but  are  thinking  of  proceeding 
to  America  and  Eno-land." 


IN  THE    WILDS   OF   YEZO.  1 6/ 

"Well,"  remarked  Fitz,  "one  more  patent  medicine  won't 
hurt  us.  We  shall  have  pictures  of  the  inventor  all  over  the 
country,  with  his  signature  in  Japanese,  and  the  legend,  '  Yours 
for  pelf,  Nobuyama.'     But,  boys,  do  look  at  that  old  Aino !  " 

The  savage  had  sunk  upon  his  mat,  seized  a  stick,  and  was 
whittling  out  an  inaho,  muttering  as  he  did  so,  as  though  he 
could  scarcely  contain  his  anger ;  while  far  off,  up  the  hillside, 
the  boys  heard  the  cry,  — 

"  Ah,  honkewa  Osaka  Adzuchi  machi  Nobuyama  kade?i  no 
senkiiitan  !  " 

The  next  day  they  started  for  Hokuyak-bets,  and,  after  a 
weary  journey  in  the  rain,  arrived  at  their  Aino  home.  They 
found  the  Professor  quite  recovered  from  his  accident,  and 
ready  to  start  for  their  long  tramp  through  the  mountain  chain 
of  North  Yezo. 

All  useless  articles  were  packed,  and  sent  to  Hakodate ; 
and  the  travellers  set  out  in  light  marching-order. 

Chief  Setta-eye  and  a  number  of  his  people  accompanied 
them  several  miles  upon  the  way,  until  they  emerged  upon  a 
level  plateau  from  which  they  had  a  grand  view  of  Ishikari 
Mountain,  one  of  the  highest  in  Yezo. 

When  he  prepared  to  take  leave  of  them  he  wept,  and 
said,  — 

"  One  does  not  know  what  there  is  in  store  for  him.  A 
short  time  ago  I  was  ignorant  of  your  existence,  now  my  heart 
is  heavy  because  I  am  about  to  part  with  you.  Accept  this 
poor  present  :    it  is  all  I  have  to  give  you." 

After  .speaking,  he  waved  his  hands  in  his  grand  fashion, 
then  abruptly  turned  and  walked  homeward,  his  people  follow- 
ing him  without  adding  a  word.  He  had  refused  all  offers  of 
payment,  and  would  not  even  take  Fitz's  watch,  which  the  boy 


i68 


THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS    OF   YEZO. 


urged  him  to  accept,  and  which  must  have  been  a  great  tempta- 
tion to  him. 

The  present  he  gave  to  the  Professor  proved  to  be  a  carved 
sake-stick,  an  object  that  few  Ainos  care  to  part  with,  and  which 
the  recipient  treasures  to  this  day. 

**  Mount  Ishikari  must  have  once  been  a  volcano."  said 
Johnnie,  as  they  rested  in  a  dry  spot,  and  looked  at  the  oljject 
referred  to. 


IN    SIGHT    OF    MOUNT    ISHIKARI, 


"  I  believe  it  is  now  a  reservoir,"  said  Fitz,  "  and  that  it  has 
burst.  It  seems  to  me,  the  Ainos  follow  the  water-courses  :  we 
ought  to  have  brought  rubber-boots." 

"It  is  no  use  grumbling,  brother."  said  SalHe.  "This 
scenery  is  wonderfully  romantic.  The  gold,  brown,  green, 
purple,  violet,  blue,  vermilion,  and  orange  tones  of  the  moun- 
tain peaks  and  spurs  are  perfectly  glorious." 

"  Pooh  !  "  said  Fitz,  "  one  would  think  you  were  describing  a 
fashionable  bonnet.  P""or  my  part,  I  think  the  scene  is  horribly 
savage." 


IN  THE    WILDS    OF   YEZO.  i6q 

"What?  With  those  telegraph-wires  bisecting  it?"  she 
said.  "  No,  brother,  we  are  still  within  range  of  civilization, 
and  cannot  call  this  place  savage  with  yonder  signs  of  prog- 
ress disfiguring  the  view." 

"  I  suppose  you  would  like  to  make  the  Japanese  put  them 
underground,"  muttered  Fitz. 

They  saw  several  bears,  and  herds  of  deer,  but  did  not  meet 
with  any  adventure  worth  recording ;  their  road  l}'ing  in  deep 
gorges  and  along  hillsides  overhanging  terrific  precipices.  It 
was  downright  hard  tramping,  notwithstanding  which  Mrs. 
Jewett  and  Sallie  were  always  to  the  fore,  and  kept  the  others 
in  a  good  temper  by  their  singing  and  cheerful  demeanor. 

They  were  fifteen  days  going  from  Hokuyak-bets  to  Daiko- 
tan,  which  proved  to  be  a  fishing-village  inhabited  by  a  mixed 
population  of  Japanese  and  Aino. 

The  Professor  expected  to  meet  the  man-of-war ;  but  the 
ship  had  not  arrived,  so  they  had  to  jDut  up  with  somewhat 
rough  accommodation,  and  amuse  themselves  as  best  they 
could. 

One  day  they  took  a  boat,  and  went  out  to  see  the  shibe 
(bonito)  fishing.  A  great  number  of  craft  had  surrounded  a 
scliool  of  shibe,  and  driven  it  into  a  huge  net,  the  floats  of 
which  were  made  of  long  poles,  of  a  peculiar  kind  of  pine*  as 
light  as  cork. 

The  scene  was  very  exciting,  —  the  fishermen  securing  the 
bonito  with  their  boat-hooks,  and  throwino^  them  kickino-  and 
squirming  into  the  bottoms  of  their  boats.  Sometimes  a  huge 
fish  would  spring  clear  out  of  the  water ;  and  many  of  them 
leaped  the  floats,  and  regained  their  freedom. 

After  waiting  several  days  at  Daikotan,  the  travellers  started 
for   So)a   on    the   western    coast  of  Yezo.  where  they  had    an 


IN  2  HE    WILDS    OF   YEZO.  171 

Opportunity  of  witnessing  the  Ainos  hunting  seals.  The  men 
speared  the  fish  just  as  they  had  done  in  the  south  ;  but  the 
seals  proved  to  be  much  larger,  and  had  a  peculiar  formation  on 
the  ends  of  their  tails.  This  the  Professor  pronounced  to  be 
the  result  of  a  disease.  The  Aino  called  them  onetsufu,  and 
they  were  between  six  and  seven  feet  long. 


NORTHERN    SEAL. 


There  was  a  Japanese  artist  staying  at  So)a,  who  gave  the 
young  Americans  some  very  clever  sketches  he  had  made  of 
the  manners  and  customs  of  the  Yezo-jin.  One  represented 
a  party  of  fishermen  setting  out  to  capture  seals  in  the 
winter.  In  the  foreground  were  three  mats,  two  of  which  were 
occupied  by  men  making  inaJio.  A  woman  was  passing  a  spear 
out  of  the  window  of  a  snow-covered  hut,  and  her  husband 
was  receiving  it,  while  another  Aino  was  evidently  joking  with 
them.     Three  fishermen  were  preparing  the  boat  for  launching, 


172  THE   BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

and  were  raising  their  hands  as  though  pointing  to  seals  upon 
the  ocean. 

"  These  will  be  nice  to  show  to  our  friends  at  home,"  said 
Sallie. 

On  the  second  morning  of  their  stay  at  Soj-a,  Habo  awoke 
them  in  great  haste,  saying,  — 

"  Please  rise.  The  man-of-war  is  in  port,  and  the  boat  will 
soon  come  on  shore.  To-day  you  will  be  able  to  start  for 
Hakotan  in  the  island  of  Karafuto." 

They  rose  quickly,  and,  before  the}'  were  dressed,  heard 
Capt.  Imadate  saying,  — 

"  Where  are  you  all  ?  I  am  anxious  to  remove  you  from 
this  savage  country." 

"  Here  we  are,"  cried  Fitz,  putting  his  head  out  of  the 
window.  "  We  have  had  a  splendid  time,  —  used  to  rise  at  one 
o'clock  in  the  morninor  lived  amono-  the  Ainos.  went  bear- 
hunting,  and  were  hunted  in  return,  and  saw  them  kill  and 
worship  the  kami  hoktiyak." 

The  whole  party  then  quitted  the  hut,  and  welcomed  the 
captain,  who  said,  — 

"  It  is  really  wonderful  that  you  are  all  alive.  I  have  lots 
of  letters  for  you,  and  some  telegrams  from  Tokio.  Come  on 
board,  and  enjoy  a  good  breakfast." 

After  they  had  chatted  a  w^hile  with  their  friend,  the  three 
Aino  chiefs,  who  had  been  their  guides,  advanced  with  Habo. 
and  said  through  her,  — 

"  We  have  now  delivered  you  safely  into  the  hands  of 
the  government  officials :  nothing  remains  for  us  but  to  say 
saramba  "  (good -by).  "  May  you  have  a  very  pleasant  journey, 
and  return  safely  to  your  native  place  !  " 

Having  thus  spoken   they  clasped    their  hands,  then  raised 


174  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

them  to  the  tops  of  their  heads,  and  gradually  brought  them 
downward  ;  as  they  did  so,  uttering  their  strange,  dog-like  cry. 

"  They  are  only  animals  anyhow,"  said  Capt.  Imadate,  con- 
temptuously regarding  the  guides,  who  were  shedding  tears. 

"  No,"  answered  Mrs.  Jewett :  "  they  are  men,  with  gentle, 
kindly  natures,  and  warm  hearts.  What  can  we  do,  captain,  to 
reward  these  good  people  ? " 

"  I  will  send  them  a  tub  of  sake,''  he  answered.  "  That  will 
make  them  perfectly  happy." 

"  I  would  prefer  to  give  them  a  barrel  of  sugar,"  said  the 
lady. 

"  Just  as  you  say,  madam,"  answered  the  captain. 

Habo  was  paid  a  gratuity ;  and  the  old  fellows  received  their 
reward,  which  they  promised  to  share  with  Setta-eye. 

The  last  the  Jewetts  saw  of  their  guides  was  the  latter 
ascending  the  mountains,  homeward  bound :  the  men  carrying 
between  them  the  barrel  of  sugar,  slung  on  a  bearing-pole, 
and  Habo  weeping  like  a  child. 

"  Yes,"  said  Fitz.  "  Mother  was  right :  all  the  world  likes 
candy." 

The  travellers  embarked  on  board  the  man-of-war,  where 
they  found  a  Russian  officer,  who  had  been  sent  by  his  govern- 
ment to  acts  as  interpreter  to  the  party. 

In  half  an  hour  they  were  steaming  across  the  strait  called 
by  foreigners  La  Perouse,  in  honor  of  the  great  navigator  of 
that  name. 


KARAFUTO    {SAGBALIN).  1 75 


CHAPTER   X. 

KARAFUTO    (SAGHALIN). 

• 
^^  Many  so-called  savages  are  much  more  gentle  and  noble  than   the  mass  of 

people  who  are  termed  civilized.     Among  the  former  are  to  be  classed  the  five  tribes 

that  inhabit  the  island  of  Karaftitoj  viz..,  the  Aino,  the  Samelenko,  the  Oroko,  the 

Colletske,  and  the  Santani"  —  Memoirs  of  La  Pkrouse. 

THE  Russian  interpreter  (Lieut.  Ivan  Koski)  was,  like 
many  of  his  countrymen,  an  accomplished  English  scholar: 
he  therefore  proved  a  valuable  addition  to  the  party. 

As  the  ship  steamed  across  the  strait,  he  said  to  the  Pro- 
fessor, — 

"  You  will  find  the  natives  of  this  island  very  different  from 
those  of  Yezo.  Of  course  you  are  aware  that  in  1875  Sakha- 
lin,  or,  as  the  natives  call  it,  Karafuto,  was  ceded  to  us  in  return 
for  the  Kurile  Islands,  which  are  valuable  for  fishine-stations. 
There  has  been  a  great  deal  written  and  said  about  our  forcing- 
Japan  to  make  the  exchange,  while  the  truth  is,  the  benefit  was 
mutual.  We  have  long  desired  to  have  a  refuge  for  our  ships 
off  the  coast  of  Tartary,  and  Japan  has  wished  to  have  a  legal 
title  in  the  Kurile  Islands  ;  besides  which,  out  of  the  twenty- 
three  hundred  natives  in  Karafuto,  only  a  very  few  on  the  west 
coast  are  Aino,  the  others  beine  the  Samelenko  who  live  on 
the  western  side,  the  Santan  and  Colletske  who  occupy  the 
extreme  north  and  who  wander  all  over  the  country,  and  the 
Oroko  who  inhabit  the  eastern  shore.  The  centre  of  the  island 
is  a  chain  of  mountains,  only  visited  by  the  natives  when  hunt- 


176  THE  BEAR-WORSHJPPERS    OF   YEZO. 

ing.     I   have  been   stationed    here  for  three   years,   and    have 
made  a  study  of  the  habits  and  customs  of  the  people." 

While  they  were  chatting,  Capt.  Imadate  approached,  and 
bowing  said,  — 

"  The  current  runs  at  terrific  speed  through  this  strait. 
Though  it  is  only  thirty-eight  miles,  as  the  crow  Hies,  to 
Hakotan,  we  shall  travel  twice  that  distance  before  we  make 
the  harbor.     Have  you  read  your  letters  yet.  Professor  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  answered  the  gentleman.  "  I  am  exceedingly  grati- 
fied with  the  communication  from  Tokio.  I  am  requested  to 
make  a  report  on  the  condition  of  the  Ainos  who  remain  in 
Karafuto.  It  is  very  pleasant  to  know  that  the  Russian  Gov- 
ernment has  not  only  agreed  to  my  doing  this  for  Japan,  but 
has  detailed  Lieut.  Koski  to  accompany  us." 

They  conversed  until  dinner-time,  then  descended  to  the 
cabin,  and,  for  the  first  time  in  many  weeks,  enjoyed  a  meal 
cooked  in  American  fashion. 

Fitz  could  scarcely  contain  his  delight  when  he  saw  a  loaf 
of  bread ;  and,  upon  the  ice-cream  being  served,  he  nudged 
Oto,  and  whispered,  — 

"  Isn't  this  ichi-ban  !  "  (number  one.) 

It  was  about  seven  o'clock  when  they  steamed  into  Hakotan 
Bay,  a  small  harbor  on  the  south-western  shore  of  Karafuto. 

"  There  is  our  flag !  "  exclaimed  Lieut.  Koski,  pointing  to 
the  right.  "  That  building  is  the  Government  House.  I  hope 
you  will  land,  and  be  my  guests  until  we  leave  here." 

The  Professor  accepted  his  hospitality ;  and  that  night  the 
party  slept  on  Russian  beds,  placed  upon  flues  that  ran  through 
the  centre  of  the  chambers. 

At  sunrise  they  looked  across  the  water,  and  saw  the  Cape 
of  Shiranoshi. 


KARAFUTO    ( SA  GHALIN ) . 


177 


"  We  tried  to  make  a  .settlement  there  about  twenty-eight 
years  ago,"  said  the  hcutenant,  "but  it  was  a  iailure.  At  that 
time  we  were  at  war  with  England  and  France,  and  the  ships 
of  those  nations  swarmed  in  these  waters.  When  we  acquired 
Saghalin,  we  placed  officials  in  all  the  principal  ports,  ap- 
pointed a  governor,  worked  the  coal,  and  utilized  the  island  as 
a  penal  settlement." 

"  Don't  the  natives  object  to  that?"  inquired  Fitz. 


HAKOTAN    BAY. 


"  We  have  never  asked  them,"  said  the  officer.  "On  our 
taking  possession,  nearly  all  the  Ainos  went  to  Sapporo  in 
Yezo ;  and  those  that  remained  are,  as  you  will  see,  more  like 
Tartars.     Here  come  my  servants." 

He  pointed  to  two  native  girls  who  were  returning  from 
market,  carrying  neat  baskets  made  of  birch-bark.  Their 
mouths  and  hands  were  not  tattooed,  and  their  faces  were 
verv  unlike  those  of  the  Ainos  of  Yezo.  Their  costumes  were 
different,  being  of  Japanese  cotton  and  of  deer-skin,  orna- 
mented with  brass  buttons.  They  wore  leggings  of  bear-skin, 
and  high  boots  that  reached  to  their  knees. 


178 


THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


"  I  see  they  comb  their  hair,"  said  Sallie,  "  and  wear  double 
earrings.  Indeed,  they  are  entirely  different  from  the  people 
whom  we  have  hereto  seen." 

Mrs.  Jewett  was  much  interested  in  the  girls,  and  put  many 
questions  to  the  interpreter. 


AINO   GIRLS.     (KARAFUTO). 


They  invited  the  ladies  to  visit  the  kitchen,  and  showed 
them  a  Russian  cooking-stove,  in  which  they  evidently  took 
great  pride. 

"  What  are  those  garments  hanging  on  poles  ? "  asked  Fitz, 
who  had  followed  his  mother  and  sister. 


KARAFUTO    {SAGHAL/N). 


179 


"Those  are  our  winter  furs  and  belts,"  replied  one  of  the 
girls.  "  We  suspend  our  clothes  in  the  smoke  to  preserve 
them.  The  brass  ornaments  and  buttons  for  our  dresses  and 
belts  are  bought  in  Tartary :  we  get  them  from  the  Samelenko." 

"They     wear     high-necked     dresses     with     funnel-shaped 

sleeves,  "  said  Fitz.     "  It  appears  to         

me  that  these  Karafuto  Ainos  have     ■  ^~^ 

a  good  deal  more  style  about  them      ^\  i 

than  the  Yezo-jin." 

The    ship   remained   one   day  at 
Hakotan,    then    started     at    sunrise 


AINO    GIRL'S    GIRDLE. 


AINO    GIRL'S    DRESS. 


for    Kogoho,   where    the    Ainos   were   going   to    hunt   bears. 

Kogoho  was  about  two  miles  and  a  half  from  Shiranoshi, 
and  proved  to  be  a  mere  open  roadstead. 

The  gentlemen  of  the  party  landed  in  the  whale-boat,  and 
visited  the  fort,  which  was  a  most  interesting  relic  of  an  ancient 
race.  The  walls  were  well  built  of  very  large  stones,  and 
formed  three  sides  of  a  hollow  square  ;  the  front  being  guarded 
by  a  portion  of  the  rock  on  which  the  fort  was  erected. 

"What  pains  they  must  have  taken  to  construct  this!" 
remarked  Johnnie.  "  Why,  they  have  actually  cut  a  moat  out 
of  the  solid  rock  on  the  three  sides  of  the  wall !  " 

"Yes;  and  it  is  deep  too,"  said  Fitz.  "This  was  never 
made  by  Ainos." 

"That  is  my  opinion,"  remarked  Oto. 


i8o 


THE   BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


"  What  do  you  think,  lieutenant  ? "  inquired  the  Professor. 

"  That  it  was  made  by  Tartars.  I  beheve  at  one  time  this 
island  belonged  to  Tartary." 

While  they  were  conversing,  two  men  and  a  boy  approached 
them,  and  asked  if  they  would  like  to  go  bear-hunting.  The 
men  were  middle-aged,  and  were  clothed  in  skin  robes,  more  or 
less  ornamented  with  brass.  Unlike  the  Yezo  Ainos,  they  wore 
boots  and  leggings ;  and  their  hair  was  not  shaggy,  and  bore 


KOJOHO         ANCIENT     FORT. 


marks  of  the  comb.  The  boy  was  simply  costumed  in  a  bear- 
skin coat,  and  carried  a  fish-spear. 

"  There  is  a  bear  up  in  the  mountains,"  said  the  elder  of 
the  hunters,  who  was  armed  with  a  bow  and  arrows.  "  His 
retreat  is  not  far  from  here." 

As  the  travellers  had  their  rifles  with  them,  they  decided  to 
accept  the  invitation. 

After  climbing  some  high  rocks,  they  found  themselves  in 
some  "  bad  land  "  sparsely  covered  with  gnarled  and  dwarfed 
trees. 


KARAFUTO    {SAGHALIN). 


i8i 


The  climate  of  Karafuto  is,  in  summer,  very  dry ;  and  the 
dead  leaves  do  not  decay,  as  in  some  countries,  but  accumulate 
in  holes  and  recesses  where  they  mat  into  peat-like  layers  that 
are  perfect  pitfalls  to  the  unwary. 

Fitz  sank  nearly  up  to  his  chest  in  a  hole,  the  surface  of 
which  looked  like  the  surrounding-  ground.     The  Ainos  laughed 


AIK'O    HL'NTERS    (KARAFUTO). 


at  his  mishap,  and  lifted  him  out ;  at  the  same  time  informing 
their  visitors  that  sometimes  people  had  altogether  disappeared 
in  such  hollow^s,  and  w^ere  smothered. 

"  I  believe  that  one  goes  right  through  to  the  West  Indies," 
said  the  merry  boy.  "After  this  I  am  going  to  be  cautious 
where  I  step." 

They  found  the  bear  in  the  hands  of  six  Ainos,  who,  while 
their  friends  had  gone,  had  contrived  to  drive  the  brute  into 
a  pitfall,  and    to    capture    it    alive.     When    they  first   saw  the 


1 82  THE   BEAR -WORSHIPPERS    OF   YEZO. 

creature  it  was  l^eing  carried  by  four  Ainos,  who  had  fastened 
its  Hmbs  to  stout  sapHngs  and  tied  a  hide  rope  round  its  neck. 
In  conveying  the  poor  beast,  it  hung  head  downwards ;  and  it 
was  evidently  suffering  great  pain. 

Upon  beholding  the  travellers  they  deposited  their  burden 
right  side  up  on  the  ground,  and  sat  upon  the  ends  of  the 
poles,  in  order  to  keep  it  from  moving. 

"What  are  you  going  to  do  with  it?"  inquired  the  lieu- 
tenant. 

The  chief  hunter  saluted,  and  replied, — 

"  We  were  told  that  some  foreign  gentlemen  were  coming 
here  to  hunt  bears.  As  it  is  very  difficult  to  find  them  just 
when  you  want  to  do  so,  we  thought  we  would  capture  this 
alive,  and  bring  it  down  to  the  fort,  so  that  the  strangers  could 
shoot  it  at  their  leisure." 

As  he  spoke,  he  thrust  a  stick  between  the  jaws  of  the  bear 
to  rouse  the  animal  from  its  lethargy. 

The  Professor  said  his  party  did  not  desire  to  hunt  in  that 
fashion  ;  hearing  which,  the  second  hunter  grasped  the  animal 
by  the  ears,  and  the  chief  proceeded  to  saw  off  its  teeth  in 
order  to  keep  it  from  injuring  people,  it  being  destined  for 
sacrifice  at  the  festival  of  Iyoina7ite. 

The  foreigners  entered  a  hut  which  w^as  built  much  after 
the  fashion  of  those  in  Yezo.  Over  the  fire  was  a  large  iron 
pot  filled  with  bear-flesh  broth,  flavored  with  various  herbs  that 
gave  out  a  medicinal  odor.  One  of  the  women  dished  this 
mess  in  a  wooden  vessel  that  had  two  ear-like  handles  deco- 
rated with  the  conventional  w^ave  pattern. 

"Are  they  going  to  ask  us  to  chip  in  and  take  tififin  with 
them?"  whispered  Fitz  to  the  lieutenant.  "I  don't  hanker 
after  such  diet." 


1 84 


THE   BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


"It  is  really  very  good  when  you  are  used  to  it,"  replied 
the  Russian.  "  See,  they  are  bringing  in  their  dogs  to  enjoy 
the  meal." 

At  that  moment  two  girls  entered  with  puppies  on  their 
backs.  It  was  comical  to  see  the  little  things  play  with  their 
attendants'  earrings,  and  to  hear  the  girls  address  them  as  they 

would  children. 

The  Professor,  who  always  en- 
joyed novel  entertainments,  seat- 
ed himself  on  the  matted  floor, 
and  said  to  his  sons,  — 

"  Now,  boys,  try  and  eat  for 
the  sake  of  politeness.     Nothing 


COOKING    POT. 


WOOD    BOWL    FOR    FOOD. 


pleases  a  host  so  much  as  to  find  his  guests  partaking  freely  of 
what  has  been  provided  for  them.  Although  this  stew  smells 
rather  herby,  I  have  no  doubt  it  tastes  good." 

The  boys  did  not  "  enthuse  much,"  and,  when  they  were 
served,  placed  their  bowls  of  food  upon  the  ground,  and  encour- 
aged the  puppies  to  approach  them.  The  Ainos  ate  their  food 
with  has  hi  (chop- sticks),  and  made  a  great  noise  over  the 
process. 

The  Professor  manfully  attacked  his  portion,  and,  after 
emptying  his  bowl,  put  it  forward  for  a  second  helping ;  as 
he  did  so,  beaming  upon  their  host,  and  saying  to  the  lieu- 
tenant, — 


KARAFUTO    {SAGBALIN). 


185 


"  Tell  them  I  consider  it  very  good.  I  admire  the  Same- 
lenko,  and  I  enjoy  this  soup." 

After  a  while  his  chopsticks  moved  slower  and  slower,  he 
began  to  examine  his  food  suspiciously,  and  finally  he  hur- 
riedly rose,  and  quitted  the  hut,  followed  by  his  sons  and  Oto. 

"What  is  the  matter,  sir?"  inquired 
the  latter,  while  Johnnie  and  Fitz  re- 
garded  their  parent  with  great  anxiety. 

He  motioned  the  boys  not  to  follow 
him,  and  when  he  rejoined  them  he  was 
exceedingly  quiet. 

"  What  is  the  matter  ? "  inquired 
Lieut.  Koski,  who  just  then  came  out 
of  the  hut,  wiping  his  lips  as  though  he 
had  enjoyed  his  repast.  "Was  the  food 
too  much  for  you  ?  " 

"  Yes,  it  was,"  frankly  answered  the 
gentleman.  "  The  atmosphere  of  the  hut 
was  very  close,  and  I  must  say  the  in- 
gredients of  the  stew  were  somewhat 
startling."  Then  turning  to  his  sons  he 
continued,  "  You  appear  to  have  liked  it, 
boys." 

Fitz  looked  slyly  at  his  brother, 
noticing  which   his  father  demanded, — 

"  Well,  sir,  what  amuses  you  ?  " 

"  We  ate  ours  by  proxy,  sir,"  demurely  answered  the  boy. 
"  I  could  not  bring  myself  to  touch  any  of  that  composition." 

"  It  was  a  rash  act  on  my  part,"  said  the  Professor.  "  I 
suppose  after  a  while  one  might  get  used  to  such  diet,  but  my 
first  experience  has  not  been  encouraging." 


DOGS'    NURSES. 


l86  THE  BEAR-]VORSHIPPERS   OF  YEZO. 

They  returned  to  the  shore,  and,  embarking  on  board  the 
man-of-war,  steamed  along  the  coast ;  which  presented  a  succes- 
sion of  rocky  views,  and  proved  the  Heutenant's  assertion  that 
the  island  was  a  mountain  chain. 

They  anchored  for  a  few  hours  at  Kushunai,  a  good  harbor, 
one  hundred  and  eighty  miles  from  Hakotan.  They  saw  in  the 
distance  an  extinct  volcano,  which  the  lieutenant  informed  them 
was  called  Horonobori,  and  was  situated  on  the  other  side  of 
the  island. 

"  We  will  visit  it  when  we  descend  the  eastern  coast,"  said 
Capt.  Imadate.  "  Kushunai  is  a  famous  place  for  raising 
sleigh-dogs.  Would  you  like  to  go  on  shore  ?  There  are  no 
Ainos  living  to  the  north  of  this/' 

The  ladies  asked  if  they  could  accompany  the  party ;  and, 
upon  being  answered  in  the  affirmative,  they  embarked  in  the 
ship's  boat,  and  landed  at  the  village,  which  was  alive  with  dogs 
of  all  sizes  and  colors,  and  whose  whining,  yelping,  and  barking 
were  deafening.  Near  every  house  was  a  hitching-post  to  which 
were  tied  a  number  of  young  animals,  who  tugged  at  their 
hide-ropes,  and  growled  savagely  at  the  Americans. 

"  Why  are  those  puppies  fastened,  while  the  big  dogs  have 
their  liberty?"  asked  Sallie. 

"They  are  being  taugLt  to  work,"  replied  the  Russian. 
"The  Ainos  tie  them  to  a  bob-sled,  which  they  place  near  some 
dried  fish,  that  has  been  toasted  to  develop  the  odor :  as  soon 
as  the  puppies  smell  this,  they  tug  and  tug  until  they  reach  it, 
when  the  trainer  rewards  them  with  a  few  morsels  of  the  food. 
The  distance  between  the  sled  and  fish  is  increased  every  day ; 
until  finally  they  are  taken  several  miles  off,  when,  if  they  run 
home  swiftly,  they  are  well  fed,  and  pronounced  broken  in,  after 
which  they  have  their  freedom  like  adult  dogs." 


i88- 


THE  BEAR-WORSI/IPFERS   OF   YEZO. 


The  visitors  saw  a  woman  feeding  some  puppies  with  dried 
hake  and  scraps  of  deer- fat.  When  they  ate  too  fast  she 
rapped  them  on  the  nose  with  a  wooden  spatula,  and  talked  to 
them  as  though  they  were  children. 

"What  a  loud-pattern  kimono''  {zo^xl)  "that  Aino  wears!" 
said  Fitz.     "  From  whence  do  they  get  their  cotton  cloth?" 


lsi^^':i? 


TRAINING    SLEIGH-DOGS. 


"From  Tartary,"  said  the  lieutenant.  "They  manufacture 
a  cloth  of  a  grass  called  mostie,  which  they  bleach  in  the  sun, 
then  weave  into  a  fabric  termed  tedrabe.  It  looks  like  Russian 
linen." 

"  Don't  they  make  any  clothes  of  bark-fibre  ?  "  inquired  Fitz. 

"A  few,"  was  the  reply;  "however,  the  greater  number  of 
the  garments  are  made  of  tedrabe^ 

"That  poor  little  boy  leading  the  dog  is  blind,  is  he  not?" 
remarked  Sallie. 


KARAFUTO    {SAGHALIN).  189 

"The  puppy  is  leading  him,"  answered  the  Heutenant. 
"  He  lost  his  sight  through  having  varioloid.  I  believe  the 
disease  will  ultimately  exterminate  these  tribes." 

About  four  o'clock  the  travellers  re-embarked  on  board  the 
man-of-war,  which  steamed  northward  for  Kitoshi,  —  a  place 
famous  for  its  mountain.  They  sighted  the  latter  about  sunset, 
and  had  a  charming  view  of  it,  illuminated  with  the  rays  of  the 
settinor  orb. 

"  How  glorious  !  "  exclaimed  Sallie,  clasping  her  hands. 

"Yes,"  said  Fitz,  imitating  her  manner,  —  "lemon-colored 
peaks  trimmed  with  orange,  vermilion,  and  brown,  with  a  gold 
ruche  :  that  is  the  way  you  will  describe  it,  is  it  not,  Sallie  ?  " 

"  No,  I  shall  not,"  she  indignantly  replied.  "  You  do  not 
appreciate  color-harmony." 

They  passed  close  into  the  shore,  and  could  see  millions  of 
glittering  spots  in  the  streams  that  descended  both  sides  of  the 
mountain. 

"Those  are  salmon,"  said  the  lieutenant.  "The  Samelenko 
come  down  here,  and  spear  great  numbers  of  them.  Farther 
up,  the  stream  widens ;  and  we  have  established  a  cannery,  run 
by  exiles." 

"  What !  "  said  Sallie.     "  Do  Russians  live  here  ? " 

The  lieutenant  smiled,  and  replied,  — 

"  Oh,  yes !  Some  of  our  people  are  not  satisfied  with  the 
government,  and  have  tried  to  assassinate  our  emperor :  so 
they  have  been  sent  hither  to  earn  an  honest  living." 

"  But  don't  they  freeze  to  death  during  the  winter  ? " 
exclaimed  the  horrified  girl. 

"  A  few  of  them  do,"  was  the  nonchalant  reply.  "  If  they 
had  not  been  so  savage,  they  would  have  remained  at  home.  I 
have  no  pity  for  such  people." 


KARAFUTO    {SAGHALIN).  19I 

That  evening  they  anchored  in  the  harbor  of  Kitoshi,  where 
they  had  to  be  carried  on  shore,  on  account  of  the  tide  being 
low,  and  the  water  very  shallow. 

As  they  landed  they  saw  a  Samelenko  standing  on  the 
shore,  watching  their  approach.  He  had  just  rolled  up  a  net, 
and  secured  it  between  some  stakes,  when  he  caught  sight  of 
the  strangers. 

"  Why,  he  wears  his  hair  in  a  tail,  almost  like  a  Chinese," 
said  Fitz. 

"Yes,"  said  the  lieutenant.  "The  Karafuto  Ainos  are  a 
mixture  of  Samelenko  and  Yezo-jin  ;  while  the  Colletske,  Oroko, 
and  Santan  are  probably  portions  of  Tartar  tribes  who  have 
crossed  from  the  continent." 

"  What  continent  ?  "  inquired  Johnnie. 

"  Tartary,  over  there,"  answered  the  lieutenant. 

The  Samelenko,  who  had  somewhat  recovered  from  his 
astonishment,  approached,  and,  quieting  his  dog  with  a  gesture 
of  his  hand,  asked  what  he  could  do  for  the  strangers. 

The  officer  told  him  the  travellers  were  from  a  very  distant 
land,  and  that  they  desired  to  learn  how  the  Samelenko  lived, 
and  to  see  their  country.  This  puzzled  the  man,  who,  after 
thinking  a  while,  replied,  — 

"  I  do  not  understand  your  motive  :  however,  you  can  see 
all  you  want  to,  only  do  not  hurt  any  of  our  people.  You  can 
go  wherever  you  like,  but  must  look  out  for  poisoned  arrows 
and  fox-traps." 

A  tent  was  sent  on  shore  ;  and  that  night  the  party  slept 
under  canvas,  and  enjoyed  a  good  rest  on  Samelenko  land. 


■ill/ ™  i  Mm  i  Ma  A 'I  '/<  ^,(i'  fe' 


'  '^^'"mmtMm 


m.iM'm 


aiiii 


AMONG    THE  SAMELENKO,  193 


CHAPTER   XL 

AMONG    THE    SAMELENKO. 

"  Woman  was  the  last  created,  and  is  therefore  the  most  perfect  beiiiir. 
Although  she  may  commit  any  sin,  it  is  not  right  to  put  her  to  deaths — Same- 
LENKO  Proverb. 

THE  next  morning  the  travellers  were  up  betimes,  they 
hearing  the  natives  in  earnest  conversation  outside 
their  tent. 

"  Come  and  see  Barnum's  show,"  said  Fitz.  "  Here  is  a 
girl  with  a  bear  on  her  back,  and  a  hunter  in  a  fanc\'  hat. 
How  curiously  they  dress  their  hair !  One  has  it  braided,  and 
another  wears  a  pug ;   and,  O  Sallie  !   do  look  at  their  earrings," 

The  man  in  the  hat  proved  to  be  a  chief,  who  had  been 
hunting  in  the  mountains,  and  had  captured  a  young  bear, 
wl"^ich  his  wife  was  carrying  on  her  back. 

•The  lieutenant  invited  them  to  approach,  then  inquired 
where  they  had  found  the  cub. 

"  Ud  in  the  Kitoshi  Mountain,"  answered  the  chief,  who 
wore  a  sealskin  hunting-coat,  marked  with  peculiar  white 
spots.  "  I  killed  the  mother,  and  brought  this  little  thing  down 
to  bring  up  until  he  is  big  enough  to  sacrifice." 

"These  Samelenko  worship  the  bear,"  said  Lieut.  Koski. 
''They  look  like  Tartars,  but  have  many  Aino  ways.  Do  you 
notice  that  woman  carrying  her  child  in  a  cradle  ?  Poor  little 
wretches,  their  hands  are  bound,  and  they  can  only  move  their 
feet.     When  a  woman  is  tired  of  nursing  her  child,  she  hangs 


AMONG    THE  SAMELENKO. 


195 


it  up  from  a  beam  in  her  hut.  Would  you  hke  to  see  one  of 
their  winter  residences  ?  " 

"  Not  till  after  breakfast,  thank  you,"  said  the  Professor. 
"  They  might  wish  us  to  take  a  meal  with  them." 

"  The  Samelenko  speak  a  different  language  from  the  Ainos, 
do  they  not  ?  "  asked  Johnnie. 

"  Very  different,"  was  the  response.  "  And  they  can 
scarcely  understand   the  Oroko,  Collctske,  or  Santan  dialects. 


SAMELENKO    HAT    AND    PILLOW. 


You  see,  these  people  must  have  come  from  Tartary.  They 
dress  like  Northern  Chinese,  and,  unlike  the  Ainos,  wear  hats. 
Before  we  took  possession  of  this  island,  the  four  tribes  used  to 
laugh  at  the  Ainos,  because  they  were  subjects  to  the  Emperor 
of  Japan  ;  the  Samelenko,  Colletske,  Santan,  and  Oroko  tribes 
always  professing  to  be  Tartar  subjects.  The  women  are  really 
very  clever  and  bright,  and  are  so  much  esteemed  by  the  men 
that  they  never  put  them  to  death.  They  are  good  tailors, 
make  all  the  garments,  and  those  hats  you  see  the  men  wear." 
"  Of  what  are  they  made  ? "  inquired  Fitz. 


196 


THE   BEAR-WORSHIPPERS    OF   YEZO. 


"  Of  kaba-h?ir\^  split  into  threads,  and  stiffened  after  it  is 
woven.  The  chiefs  are  very  proud  of  those  head-dresses,  which 
can  be  folded  up  and  carried  in  the  bosom  when  not  required 
for  use.  The  women  also  make  the  long  Chinese  pillows,  which 
are  covered  with  cotton.  Altogether,  a  Samelenko  woman's 
position  is  not  a  bad  one." 

"  Do  they  ever  bathe  ?  "  inquired  Johnnie, 

"  I   believe   they  wash    their  hands    and    faces   every  day," 


OUTSIDE    OF    U..DERGROU.MD    HOUSE. 


answered  their  friend  ;  "  though,  as  a  rule,  a  little  water  goes  a 
long  way  with  them." 

"Come,  boys,"  said  Sallie,  "breakfast  is  ready.  I  am 
anxious  to  get  it  over,  and  go  and  see  the  Samelenko  in  their 
homes." 

The  meal  was  soon  despatched,  and  at  its  conclusion  the 
party  set  out  to  inspect  the  village. 

Nearly  all  the  houses  were  well  built,  and  showed  a  know!- 


AMONG    THE  SAMELENKO. 


197 


edge  of  carpentery  which  the  travellers  had  never  seen  among 
the  Ainos.  There  was  an  air  of  neatness  about  the  dw^ellings, 
and  in  some  an  attempt  at  decoration. 

"That  is  an  underground  house,"  said  their  guide,  pointing 
to  what  looked  like  some  roughly  trimmed  timbers  resting  on 


INSIDE    OF    UNDERGROUND    HOUSE. 


the  top  of  a  mound,  in  front  of  which  was  a  sort  of  archway 
made  of  saplings. 

"You    do    not    mean    to   say    people    live    in    that    hole?" 
queried  Johnnie. 

"  Yes,"  was  the  reply.  "It  is  intensely  cold  here  in  winter : 
so  the  natives  select  a  hillock,  like  this  one.  and  excavate  a 
chamber  in  it,  then  cut  a  chimney  in  the  centre  of  the  roof,  and 
cover  it  with  timbers  or  bark.     During  five  months  of  the  year 


198  THE   BEAR -WORSHIPPERS    OF   YEZO. 

these  habitations  are  buried  in  snow;  but  even  then,  and  spite 
of  the  severe  frosts,  they  are  warm  and  comfortable,  w^hile  in 
summer  they  are  cool  retreats.  Come  and  see  how  cose)-  the)' 
are  inside." 

They  entered,  and  found  themselves  in  a  square  apartment 
lined  with  \vood,  stained  brown  with  smoke,  but  very  neatly 
kept.  A  high  bench,  covered  with  thick  mats,  extended  round 
three  sides  of  the  apartment. 

The  fireplace  w^as  a  wooden  frame,  filled  with  ashes,  set  in 
the  centre  of  the  floor;  and  on  it  was  a  large  iron  \essel  con- 
taining water ;  and  suspended  by  an  iron  rod  from  the  beam 
was  the  only  cooking-utensil,  a  huge  kettle  holding  about  ten 
gallons. 

A  sort  of  double  sideboard  supported  sundry  dishes,  bowls, 
and  wooden  platters,  attached  to  which  was  a  box  containing 

spoons,  chop-sticks,  and  knives, 
and  a  wooden  sieve  for  cleanino- 
grain. 

The     Professor     examined     the 
cooking-utensils,   and   remarked,  — 
"  These  forms  are  very  ancient ; 
the  vessels  appear  to  be  made  of  hammered  metal." 

"They  all  come  from  Tartary,"  said  their  guide.  "  I  do  not 
think  there  are  a  dozen  Japanese  articles  in  use  among  these 
people." 

"They  have  no  inaJio''  remarked  Fitz.  "Their  heads  are 
level.  The  Yezo-jin  spend  half  their  time  w^iittling  god-sticks. 
Do  the  Samelenko  drink  sakef 

"  They  will  drink  any  thing,"  was  the  answer.  "  They 
think  whatever  foreiorn  stuff  comes  in  bottles  must  be  p-ood. 
I   know  of   a  case  where  a  whaling  captain   sold   them   a  box 


IRON    COOKING-POT. 


AMONG    THE   SAMELENKO.  1 99 

of  aniline  dyes,  which  they  drank  without  any  serious  conse- 
quences." 

"  Why,  there  is  a  samisen'^'  (i)  said  SalHe,  "  and  some  stone 
pipes"  (3). 

"  That  instrument  came  from  Tartary.  Its  head  is  covered 
with    snake's-skin.      They    play    it   with    an    ivory   picker   (2). 


SAMELENKO    GUITAR    AND    PIPES. 


The  pipes  are  made  of  red  stone,  something  like  those  carved 
by  your  Indians." 

There  being  little  more  to  interest  them  in  the  underground 
dwelling,  they  took  their  leave,  and  strolled  on  to  the  beach, 
where  they  found  a  native  repairing  a  canoe,  which  was  hauled 
up  beyond  the  tide-mark. 

"These  craft  are  made  by  the  Colletske,"  said  the  Russian. 
"  They  are  the  boat-builders  of  the  island.  If  you  notice,  there 
are  bone  spikes  instead  of  thole-pins ;    and  no  metal  is  used 


200 


THE   BEAR-WORSHIPPERS    OF   YEZO. 


in  the  construction  of  the  canoes,  which  are  flat-bottomed,  and 
quite  square  in  the  stern.  The  natives  only  quit  the  shore  in 
cahn  weather,  and  these  craft  are  pulled  or  sailed  to  and  from 
the  coast  of  Tartar)-." 

Fitz  critically  examined  the  canoe,  then  said,  — 

"  This  is  a  regular  coffin.     What  are  the  sails  made  of? " 


BOAT    MADE    BY    COLLETSKE. 


"Of  fish-skin,"  replied  their  friend.  "They  are  worth  a 
great  deal  to  these  poor  people." 

At  the  request  of  the  officer,  the  fisherman  fetched  a  sail, 
which  he  unrolled  for  their  inspection. 

"  What  fishes  are  these  taken  from?"  asked  Johnnie. 

"Skates,"  was  the  reply.  "They  grow  to  an  enormous 
size  in  these  w^aters,  and  their  skins  are  very  tough." 

"  I  see  they  make  the  sculls  spoon-shaped,"  said  Fitz. 
"  There  is  a  hole  bored  through  the  swell  near  the  handle.  I 
wonder  how  they  hit  upon  that  idea." 


AMONG    THE  SAMELENKO. 


20 1 


"  I  suppose  they  bought  their  experience  by  practice,"  re- 
marked his  father.     "  These  people  have  no  science." 

"  Here  comes  our  boat,"  said  Sallie.  "  I  see  the  sailors 
have  taken  down  the  tent." 

"  Yes,"  said  Capt.  Imadate,  who  just  then  joined  them  : 
"  we  start  for  Wakee  as  soon  as  you  get  on  board.  You  will 
probably  land  there  to-night." 

The  Japanese  sailors  were  very  handy,  and  had  packed 
every  thing  neatly. 


SAIL     MADE    OF    FISH-SKIN 


"  I  do  so  dislike  being  carried  !  "  said  Sallie  :  "it  seems  too 
bad  to  be  treated  like  a  child." 

"  Well,  you  can  neither  wade  nor  swim  here,"  said  Fitz,  who 
was  mounted  on  the  back  of  a  Japanese  sailor.  "  If  you  are 
so  awfully  squeamish,  you  ought  to  stay  on  board." 

His  sister  bit  her  lips,  but  did  not  make  any  further  remarks. 

Upon  reaching  the  vessel,  the  anchor  was  tripped  ;  and  they 
proceeded  along  the  coast,  passing  a  place  called  Natuko,  off 
which  they  saw  a  number  of  boats  fishing. 


202  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS    OF   YEZO. 

The  water  being  somewhat  rough,  it  took  longer  than  the 
captain  expected  to  reach  Wakee :  so  the  travellers  determined 
to  stay  on  board  all  night. 

On  landing  the  next  morning,  they  were  much  tormented 
with  flies  and  mosquitoes,  which  "  fell  upon  the  travellers,"  and 
almost  drove  them  frantic :  however,  about  noon  a  sea-breeze 
sprang  up,  and  soon  increased  to  quite  a  gale.  This  cooled  the 
air,  and  carried  the  insect-pests  towards  the  mountains. 

Wakee  is  only  two  miles  and  a  half  from  Otsutaka-baaha, 
on  the  coast  of  Tartary ;  but,  as  the  water  rushes  through  the 
strait  at  a  tremendous  pace,  the  passage  is  exceedingly  danger- 
ous. The  natives  said,  that  at  very  low  tide  they  could  walk 
from  Wakee  to  the  opposite  shore,  and  that  in  winter,  when 
the  strait  was  frozen,  they  went  backwards  and  forwards  in  their 
dog-sleds. 

The  visitors  strolled  about  while  their  tent  was  being 
pitched,  and  presently  came  to  a  place  where  some  millet  was 
growing  among  a  lot  of  high  grasses  that  almost  choked  the 
crop.  Two  Samelenko  were  watching  it,  and  a  bird-rattle  they 
had  just  erected  to  keep  off  the  sparrows. 

One  of  them  was  dressed  in  a  sealskin  coat  and  kaba-h2ir\i 
pants,  and  the  other  in  deerskin. 

"  Is  not  their  hair  slicked  down  !  "  said  Fitz.  "  I  believe 
they  wet  it  before  they  use  a  comb." 

As  he  spoke,  a  girl  came  by,  carrying  a  load  of  wood  on 
her  back  ;  on  seeing  whom,  another  girl,  who  had  been  gather- 
ing a  sort  of  wild  grass  for  greens,  called  to  her,  — 

"  Have  you  seen  the  savages?"  (meaning  the  Americans.) 

When  this  was  translated  to  the  party,  they  laughed  until 
their  sides  ached  ;  and  presently  the  Professor  exclaimed,  — 

"  I  wonder  what  that  young  lady  considers  civilization  ? " 


204 


THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


"  I  know,  sir,"  said  Fitz.  "  Her  idea  of  a  fine  costume  is  a 
tanned  deerhide  dress,  trimmed  with  pieces  of  stamped  brass, 
bearskin  leggings,  cowhide  boots,  window-curtain  earrings,  and 
a  load  of  wood  that  would  tax  the  endurance  of  a  mule.  She 
evidently  does  not  take  much  stock  in  us." 

When   the   tent  was  pitched,  the   ladies  retired  to  take   a 

little  rest,  and  the  gentlemen 
went  for  a  walk  in  the  coun- 
try. 

They  found  the  land 
rocky  and  full  of  rivulets, 
across  which  were  laid  pieces 
of  drift-wood  and  portions  of 
trunks  of  trees  that  served  as 
bridges.  Nearly  all  of  these 
were  surmounted  by  otter- 
traps,  those  animals  being  a 
great  anno)ance  to  the  Sam- 
elenko.  In  one  place  they 
found  a  salmon  caught  fast 
in  the  noose  intended  for 
the  otter. 

"How  is  this?"  said 
Johnnie.  "The  fish  was  not 
taking  a  walk  ? " 
"Certainly  not,"  answered  the  lieutenant.  "An  otter  had 
captured  the  salmon,  and  was  crossing  this  timber,  when  it 
sprung  the  trap.  Probably  the  head  of  the  fish  was  in  the 
noose,  and  the  springing  of  the  bow  jerked  it  out  of  its 
captor's  mouth." 

As  they  advanced  they  saw  many  traps,  and  in  one  place 


WAKEE    GIRLS. 


AMONG   THE   SAMELENKO. 


205 


beheld  a  fox  gazing  wistfully  at  two  dried  perch  attached  to 
the  trunk  of  a  tree.  The  beast  was  so  intent  upon  the  tempt- 
ing bait  that  he  did  not  notice  the  intruders,  or  that  there  was  a 
trap  among  the  grass  within  a  yard  of  his  tail.  After  making 
two  attempts  to  vimiD  the  tree  he  backed,  as  though  preparing 
tj  take  a  run,  and  touching  the  trap  was  caught  b)-  the  tail,  and 


HOINU.    OTTER-TRAP. 


swung  high  in  the  air ;  whereupon  a  native  boy,  who  had  fol- 
lowed the  party,  advanced,  and  killed  the  poor  animal. 

There  was  very  little  to  interest  the  visitors  in  the  place  ; 
and,  when  the  wind  ceased  to  blow,  the  mosquitoes  and  flies 
returned  in  such  numbers  that  Mrs.  Jewett  declined  to  stay  on 
shore. 

"There   are  fewer  insects  at  Hokobi,"  said  Capt.  Imadate. 


206 


THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


"  I  was  afraid  you  would  not  be  able  to  stay  here.  This  spot 
is  quite  famous  for  these  pests." 

"  Infamous,  you  mean,  captain,"  suggested  Fitz.  "  Mother 
seldom  complains,  as  you  know.  Things  must  be  unendurable 
to  make  her  grumble." 

"  I  have   another  reason  for  going,"  said  the    captain.     "  I 


SAMELENKO    FOX-TRAP. 


want  to  reach  Hokobi  before  dark.  The  rocks  there  extend 
almost  across  to  Tartary,  and  I  would  like  to  pass  them  during 
daylight." 

As  soon  as  they  reached  the  ship  the  latter  started,  and  in 
two  hours  approached  the  passage  between  Hokobi  and  the 
main  land.  It  was,  as  the  captain  had  said,  very  narrow ;  and, 
although  the  tide  was  high,  the  ship  bumped  perceptibly. 


208 


THE  BEAR -WORSHIPPERS    OF   YEZO. 


They  steamed  into  a  little  inlet,  like  a  dock ;  and  the  party 
remained  on  board  until  the  morning,  when  they  landed,  and 
visited  the  village. 

The  Samelenko  were  very  hospitable,  and  invited  them  into 
their  huts,  in  one  of  which  a  )oung  woman  dressed  in   a  cotton 


SAMELENKO    LADY    AT    HER    TOILET. 


robe,  lavishly  decorated  with  tufts  of  cord  and  brass  ornaments, 
was  making  her  toilet.  She  used  no  bowl,  but  bent  over  a 
birch-bark  basket  filled  with  water.  Having  taken  a  mouthful 
of  this,  she  squirted  some  of  it  on  a  huge  wooden  comb,  then 
ran  the  latter  through  her  luxuriant  hair,  repeating  the  opera- 
tion until  her  tresses  were  straightened  out,  when  she  smiled 
sweetly,  and  proceeded  to  braid  them. 


AMONG    THE   SAMELENKO. 


209 


**  Have  they  no  looking-glasses  ?  "  inquired  Sallie. 

"They  possess  some  few  Chinese  ones,  made  of  metal," 
replied  the  lieutenant;  "but  they  do  not  use  them  very  much, 
as  they  consider  it  is  unlucky  to  see  their  own  image." 

"What  is  yonder  funny-looking  thing  on  the  shelf?" 
inquired  Fitz. 

"That  is  the  house-god,"  said  the  lieutenant. 

"  He  is  a  sweet  bird,  is  he  not?"  murmured  Fitz.     "What 


-^5^ 


SAMELE    KO    GOD    AND    GOD-HOUSE. 


a  lovely  mouth  he  has !  It  is  the  nearest  approach  to  an  idol 
I  have  seen  since  I  left  Japan.  I  suppose  that  little  wooden 
house  is  intended  for  his  residence." 

The  owner  of  the  image  replied  in  the  affirmative,  and 
made  an  apology  for  the  unfinished  state  of  the  image, 
saying,  — 

"  I  broke  my  knife  yesterday,  when  I  was  carving  that ; " 
adding,  in  a  complacent  manner,  "  if  you  come  in  a  day  or 
two,  I  will  have  it  finished  and  put  in  the  god-house." 

"  Please  tell  him  not  to  hurry  on  our  account,"  said  Johnnie. 


2IO 


THE  BEAR -WORSHIPPERS   OF   VEZO. 


"  It  is  about  the  worst  attempt  at  carving  we  have  met  with. 
Ask  him  whom  it  is  intended  to  represent." 

When  this  question  was  put  to  the  man,  he  appeared  to  be 
puzzled,  and  finally  owned  that  he  did  not  know ;  then  changed 
the  conversation  by  saying,  — 

"Would  you  like  to  see  my  storehouse?" 

"  Certainly,"  said  the  Professor. 


SAMELENKO    STOREHOUSE. 


The  Samelenko  led  the  way  to  the  rear  of  his  dwelling,  and 
pointed  to  a  structure  made  of  finished  planks,  mounted  upon 
tree-stumps  ;   saying,  — 

"  It  is  very  hard  to  dig  holes  in  the  ground  here  :  so  I 
selected  a  spot  where  the  trees  were  thick,  cut  them  off  at 
one  height,  and  placed  cross-timbers  on  them.  Then  the 
CoUetske  men  brought  their  tools,  and  built  my  7ioro  for  me. 
You   see,  the   arched  pieces  of  bark,  laid  on  the  tops  of  the 


AMONG   THE  SAMELENKO. 


21 1 


stumps,  are  to  prevent  the  rats  and  mice    from    ascending  to 
the  platform." 

"Why  do  they  put  such  heavy  timbers  on  the  shingles?" 
Inquired  Sallie. 

"To  keep  them  from  being  blown   away,  miss,"  answered 
their  guide,    "  The  old  chief 
wishes  to  know  whether  you 
would  like  to  see  some  of 
his  treasures." 

"  Certainly,"  replied  the 
Professor.  "  Has  he  any 
valuable  curios  ?  " 

The  man  unfastened  the 
door  by  pushing  up  the  pan- 
el, then  lifted  out  a  bamboo- 
basket  (i)  lined  with  sJiibii- 
ganii  (tough  red  waterproof 
paper  made  in  Japan).  He 
untied  the  cord  that  secured 
the  lid,  and,  raising  the  lat- 
ter, showed  that  the  basket 
was  full  of  sake. 

"  I  never  heard  of  stor- 
ing wine  in  that  fashion,"  said   the   Professor, 
does  not  leak  out." 

"  It  is  like  a  stone  jar,"  said  Oto.  "  The  paper  is  thoroughly 
waterproof." 

The  Samelenko  .'howed  them  a  bottle  (3)  made  of  the 
same  material  as  the  basket,  and  a  wooden  tray  (4)  manu- 
factured by  the  Colletske,  from  a  curious  streaked  wood  found 
in  the  swamps  of  Northern  Karafuto. 


SAMELENKO    TREASURES. 


*'  I   wonder  it 


2  12  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS    OF   YEZO. 

Their  host  very  generously  offered  them  some  of  the  wine, 
and,  upon  their  dechning  it,  remarked,  — 

"  Then  1  will  drink  a  little  in  honor  of  the  god ;  "  adding, 
"  I  hope  you  will  have  a  safe  journey  back." 

"That  is  a  hint  for  us  to  go,"  said  Fitz.  "There  is  not 
much  to  see  In  these  places." 

The  old  man  closed  his  storehouse,  and  saluted  them  by 
bowing  and  repeatedly  stroking  his  beard.  When  they  offered 
him  some  money  he  shook  his  head,  and  said  he  did  not  want 
such  a  thing :  it  never  brought  him  any  luck ;  a  whaling- 
captain  once  gave  him  a  large  piece  of  copper  money  for  a 
boat-load  of  dried  salmon,  and,  all  the  while  he  retained  the 
coin,  he  had  suffered  from  rheumatism. 

This  was  translated  to  Fitz,  who  roared  with  laughter,  and 
said,  — 

"  These  are  true  savages.  Now  I  know  why  the  sea- 
captains  in  Cromlech  used  to  collect  the  big  old  copper 
pennies.  They  brought  them  out  here,  and  invested  them 
in  dried  fish." 

Mrs.  Jewett  and  Sallie  felt  tired,  so  retired  to  the  tent,  leav- 
ing the  gentlemen  to  take  a  stroll  in  the  country. 

"  We  have  a  convict-establishment  about  a  mile  from  here," 
said  the  lieutenant.  "  Would  you  like  to  walk  over  and 
inspect  it  ? " 

"  No  :  I  dislike  to  witness  human  misery,"  answered  the 
gentleman.  "  No  doubt  the  prisoners  have  broken  your  laws, 
or  committed  some  crime  that  calls  for  their  punishment ;  but  I 
do  not  desire  to  see  them." 

"  Oh  !  "  cried  Fitz.  "  What  is  that  under  the  tree  ?  A  bow 
and  arrow  with  a  fish  tied  to  it." 

"  It  is  a  Samelenko  otter-trap,"  said  the  Russian.     "  Do  not 


AMONG    THE  SAMELENKO. 


21 


go  near  it :  the  barb  is  poisoned-  When  the  otter  seizes  the 
fish,  it  pulls  the  trigger,  and  the  arrow  transfixes  the  poor 
brute." 

"  Well,  what  with  otter,  fox,  and  bear  traps,"  said  Johnnie, 


SAMELENKO    OTTER-TRAP. 


"  1  do  not  think  walking  in   Karafuto  is  very'  healthy  exercise. 
Come,  suppose  we  return  to  mother  and  Sallie." 

The  travellers   camped  out  that   night,  and   did   not  wake 
until  late  the  next  morning,  when  they  embarked  for  Ishirao. 


2  14  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPFERS   OF   VEZO, 


CHAPTER   XII. 

MOVING  UP  THE  WESTERN  COAST  OF  KARAFUTO. 

'•'■  If  yoit  would  cross  a  rapid  strea?Ji^  do  not  attoiipt  to  roiv  straight  over.  You 
must  go  with,  and  not  against,  the  -mater-godP  —  Samelenko  Saying. 

THE  man-of-war  was  nearly  all  day  steaming  from  Hokobi 
to  Ishirao. 

"  Why  are  we  thus  delayed  ?  "  inquired  Sallie. 

"  The  current  is  very  strong  in  this  part  of  the  strait,  and 
our  boilers  are  somewhat  shaky,"  replied  Capt.  Imadate.  "  I 
shall  have  to  hug  the  shore  very  closely,  or  we  might  come  to 
grief  I've  had  some  narrow  escapes  in  these  waters,  the  shift- 
ing sands  being  exceedingly  treacherous." 

As  the  vessel  approached  Ishirao,  they  saw  the  rocks 
cropping  up,  like  teeth,  right  across  the  channel. 

"  I  shall  anchor  presently,"  remarked  the  captain :  "  we 
could  not  get  round  this  point  to-night,  it  being  now  dead  low- 
tide.  Do  you  notice  the  Russian  flag  on  the  bluff  to  our 
right  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  answered  the  Professor :  "  they  appear  to  be 
making  good  use  of  their  acquisition.  I  find  they  have 
military   stations    on    all    these    headlands." 

"  Those  are  for  the  coast-guards,  who  keep  a  sharp  look- 
out for  runaway  convicts,"  said  Lieut.  Koski,  who  just  then 
came  on  deck.  "  Some  of  the  rascals  are  always  trying  to 
escape,  and  we  have  to  prevent  them  from  crossing  to  the 
mainland." 


2l6 


THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF  YEZO. 


"  What  place  is  that,  opposite  us  ? "  asked  Fitz. 

"  That  is  Buiro,  in  Eastern  Tartary,"  was  the  reply.  "  It  is 
ten  miles  from  here ;  but,  the  current  being  exceedingly  swift, 
the  Samelenko,  who  embark  from  this  place,  generally  land  at 
an  island  called  Waruke,  that  lies  off  Hokobi,  or  a  little  lower 
down,  at  Washifune,  which  is  the  nearest  point  between  this 
island  and  the  mainland.'* 


BOYS    FISHING. 


The  next  morning  the  ladies  decided  to  go  on  shore  with 
the  gentlemen  :  so  the  party  embarked  in  the  captain's  gig,  and 
were  rowed  up  a  little  creek,  in  the  mouth  of  which  two  boys 
were  fishing. 

One  of  them,  who  was  in  a  small  canoe,  wore  his  hair  like 
an  Aino,  and  was  busily  engaged  driving  the  fish  by  agitating 
the  water  with  two  sticks.  The  other  held  the  end  of  the  net 
across   the    mouth  of  the    creek,  and  jerked    it  in   a  peculiar 


MOVING    UP  THE    WESTERN  COAST   OF  KARAFUTO.      217 

manner,  in  order  to  keep  the  floats  on  the  surface  of  the 
water. 

"That  boy  in  the  boat  "is  of  the  Colletske  tribe,"  said  the 
Heutenant.  "They  look  hke  the  Ainos,  but  are  very  much 
more  intelhcrent." 

The  lads  raised  their  net,  which  was  half  full  of  fish,  and, 


SAMELENKO    UNDERGROUND    DWELLING. 


dragging  it  on  shore,  proceeded  to  string  its  contents  upon  long 
rushes,  which  they  suspended  from  the  neighboring  bushes. 

"The  Samelenko  of  this  place  live  in  underground  houses," 
said  their  guide  ;  "  the  remarkable  thing  being  the  stone 
foundations  of  the  structures,  and  the  absence  of  the  usual 
fireplace  in  the  centre  of  the  room." 

The  party  entered  one  of  the  dwellings,  which,  though  it 
smelled  like  a  smoke-house,  was  tidily  kept. 


2l8 


THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


"Their  carpenter-work  pleases  me,"  said  Sallie.  "Do  you 
notice  how  nicely  that  double  table  is  made  ?  They  have  iron 
axes  and  knives,  porcelain  bottles  and  jars,  and  a  little  fireplace 
with  a  pan  over  it,  the  same  as  you  see  in  Japan." 

In  one  house  they  found  a  w^oman  amusing  her  baby,  who, 

lashed  in  his  cradle,  w^as 
suspended  from  a  curious 
apparatus  hung  from  the 
roof.  His  mother  was 
talkino-  to  him,  and  he 
was  laughing  as  though 
he  enjoyed  what  she  said. 
"  How  long  do  they 
keep  their  children  but- 
toned up  in  those  con- 
trivances?" inquired  Fitz. 
"Until  they  are  four 
years  old,"  answered  the 
lieutenant. 

"  What !  "  cried  the 
boy,  "  do  you  mean  to 
tell  me  that  they  are  thus 
restrained  until  they  are 
that  age  ?  You  would  not 
keep  an  American  baby  in  such  a  machine  for  ten  minutes. 
How  do  they  learn  to  w^alk?" 

"That  child  is  now  practising,"  replied  the  Russian.  "He 
cannot  go  very  far,  and  his  mother  always  knows  where  he  is. 
They  seldom  cry,  and  are  very  sweet-tempered  and  gentle." 

"Well,  that  sort  of  board  and  lodging  would  break  a  young 
American  citizen  all  up,"  said  the  boy,  critically  regarding  the 


SAMELENKO    EABY. 


MOVING   UP  THE    WESTERN  COAST  OF  KARAFUTO.     219 

little  Samelenko,  who  was  shuffling  about  on  an  oval  piece  of 
wood  placed  beneath  its  feet.  "  They  once  put  me  in  a  baby- 
jumper  ;  but  I  broke  the  cord,  and  got  away." 

"O  mother!  isn't  this  baby  cunning  ? "  said  Sallie  to  her 
parent,  who  just  then  entered.  "  Please,  Lieut.  Koski,  ask  the 
woman  if  I  may  take  him  out  of  his  cradle." 

"  Off  his  plank,  you  mean,"  said  Johnnie.  "  I  think  this  is 
one  of  the  most  comical  sights  we  have  seen  since  we  left 
home." 

The  woman  said  the  child  would  feel  uncomfortable  if  she 
unfastened  him  before  night-time,  and  begged  they  would  ex- 
cuse her  from  doing  so. 

"  Give  him  some  candy,  sis,"  said  Fitz  :  "  he  will  like  that." 

The  young  lady  felt  in  her  pockets,  and  presently  brought 
out  a  bag  containing  peppermint-lozenges,  one  of  which  she 
put  in  the  child's  mouth. 

The  little  fellow  continued  to  smile  for  a  few  seconds,  then 
spat  out  the  candy,  and  set  up  a  dismal  howl. 

"What  is  the  matter?"  inquired  Mrs.  Jewett. 

"  It  set  my  mouth  on  fire !  "  cried  the  youngster,  as  the  tears 
streamed  from  his  eyes.     "  I'm  burning." 

His  mother  gazed  on  him  with  alarm,  then  caught  him, 
cradle  and  all,  to  her  bosom,  and,  after  kissing  the  terrified 
one,  said, — 

"  Oh,  my  poor  child  !  what  have  they  done  to  you  ?" 

In  a  few  moments  he  ceased  his  noise,  and  began  to  lick 
his  lips,  then  hunted  round  for  the  rejected  lozenge. 

"  I  guess  he  is  all  right  now,"  said  Johnnie.  "  It  scared 
him  at  first,  but  I  thought  he  would  be  converted  after  the 
first  taste." 

The  mother  examined  the  candy,  and  tasted  it,  after  which 


2  20  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF  YEZO. 

she  passed  it  to  her  husband,  who   smelt  it  suspiciously,  and 
said,  — 

"I  believe  it  is  dangerous!  I  never  eat  anything  that  I 
am  not  sure  about." 

When  this  was  translated,  Fitz  said  to  his  father,  — 
"  He  is  a  wise  man.     Don't  you  think  so,  sir  ? " 
The  Professor  shook  his  finger  at  him,  and  replied,  — 
"I  do  not  wish  to  be  reminded  of  my  imprudence." 
"  I  did  not  mean  the  stew,  sir,"  said  the  irrepressible. 
Mrs.  Jewett,  who  was  laughing  at  them,  said,  — 
"  Here  comes  Capt.  Imadate.     I  suppose  it  is  time  for  us  to 
go  on  board  again." 

"  You  are  quite  right,  madam,"  answered  the  commander. 
"The  tide  is  favorable  for  passing  through  the  shoals,  and  I 
want  to  reach  Tamurao  before  dusk.  It  does  not  do  to  make 
a  port  on  this  coast  after  dark." 

.  When  they  reached  the  beach,  they  found  the  tide  coming 
in  furiously  between  the  sand-banks. 

"There  are  our  young  friends,  the  Samelenko  and  Colletske 
fishermen,"  said  Johnnie.  "What  are  they  doing  with  that 
rope  ? " 

At  that  moment  a  boy  came  rushing  along  the  opposite 
sand-spit,  shouting,  and  waving  his  hands,  in  order  to  drive  a 
flock  of  snipe  that  flew  before  him.  As  the  birds  approached 
the  boys  with  the  rope,  they  half  closed  their  eyes,  then  sud- 
denly whirled  the  cord,  and  knocked  two  of  the  snipe  into  the 
water. 

"  Well,  that  beats  every  thing."  cried  Fitz.  "I  have  heard 
of  catching  trout  with  a  hammer,  but  never  before  knew  any 
one  who  went  sniping  with  a  rope." 

They  watched  the  lads  catch  a  number  of  birds,  then  the 


MOVING    UP  THE    WESTERN  COAST  OF  KARAFUTO.     22  1 

party  embarked  on  board  the  man-of-war.  As  they  steamed 
along  the  shore,  they  noticed  the  strait  was  wider. 

'■  We  shall  soon  lose  sight  of  Tartary,"  said  the  commander. 
"At  Tamurao  one  can  only  see  some  islands  that  lie  off  the 
opposite  coast,  and  a  faint  outline  of  the  distant  mountains." 

It  w^as  quite  dark  when  they  entered  Tamurao  Harbor,  —  a 
sort  of  channel  worn  between  tw^o  points  of  low  land,  on  the 


NOVEL    METHOD    OF    CATCHING    SNIPE. 


extreme  ends  of  which  lights  were  hoisted  for  the  guidance  of 
the  man-of-war. 

It  being  too  late  to  land,  the  travellers  passed  the  evening 
in  writing  and  reading. 

Early  the  next  morning  Lieut.  Koski  summoned  the  boys, 
saying,  — 

"  There  is  going  to  be  a  funeral  on  shore:  would  you  like 
to  witness  it  ? " 


222 


THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


"  Certainly,"  answered  Fitz.  "  Can  Sallie  go  too  ?  She 
always  likes  to  attend  all  such  affairs." 

"  I  think  she  might,"  was  the  reply,  "  though  you  will  not 
witness  a  very  impressive  ceremony." 

Breakfast  was  hastily  served  ;  and  the  party  landed,  but  they 
could  not  discover  any  signs  of  a  village. 

"The  settlement  is  about  a  mile  off,"  said  the  lieutenant. 
"  I  suppose  you  do  not  mind  walking." 


-^^g^^^^-riF.^,7^^^  -^       ^^^ 


^-igSSgw-.!^-^^  - 


PORT    TAMURAO, 


"  I  reckon  we  will  have  to,  as  I  do  not  see  any  hacks 
round,"  said  Fitz.  "  I  think  that  the  family  ought  to  have 
sent  us  conveyances." 

The  Professor  frowned ;  and  Fitz,  taking  the  hint,  ceased 
making  fun. 

The  road  lay  through  a  wooded  district,  swarming  with 
mosquitoes  and  flies,  which,  as  usual,  settled  in  clouds  upon  the 
foreigners'  garments. 

"  There   will   be    another    funeral    before   we   get    through 


MOVING    UP  THE    WESTERN  COAST  OF  KARAFUTO.     223 


with  this  expedition,"  said  Fitz.  "  There  won't  be  much  of  my 
remains  to  bury :  these  horse-stingers  are  carrying  me  off 
piecemeal." 

Oto,  who  was  of  a  very  inventive  turn,  made  fly-flappers  of 
some  long,  silky  grass,  and  presented  them  to  the  ladies. 

"  I  never  thought  of  that,"  said  Fitz,  as  he  cut  some  of  the 
grass  for  himself.  "  Oto,  you  shall  have  a  medal.  Now  we 
can  get  even  with  these 
pests." 

Tamurao  was  a  mis- 
erable affair,  consisting 
of  a  few  straggling  huts, 
and  the  cemetery,  a  small 
enclosure  behind  the 
chief's  residence,  in  which 
also  stood  a  shed  contain- 
ing his  provisions. 

"1  do  not  see  the 
grave, "  remarked  John- 
nie. 

Lieut.   Koski    pointed 
to  a  little  hut  (A),  built  of  pine-boards,  that  had  been  recendy 
erected  near  the  storehouse  (B),  and  said, — 

"The  woman  was  interred  under  that  structure." 

"Was?"  queried  Johnnie.  "I  thought  we  were  coming 
to  a  funeral." 

"These  Samelenko  bury  their  dead  before  they  hold  the 
funeral-service,"  replied  the  lieutenant ;  "  that  is,  they  bury 
the  women,  but  put  the  men  up  in  the  mountains." 

"  Your  statement  is  most  interesting,"  said  the  Professor. 
"These  tribes  seem  to  be  very  much  like  our  Indians." 


SAMELENKO    TOMB. 


224 


THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


Just  then  a  man,  carrying  two  wooden  trestles  and  a  lot  of 
evergreens,  came  in  sight,  and,  after  gaping  at  the  visitors, 
deposited  his  burden  near  the  door  of  the  hut.  As  he  did  so, 
he  uttered  a  peculiar  sound,  something  like  the  Aino  cry,  and 
clapped  his  hands  nine  times. 

•'I  guess  that  is  the  signal:  the  perform — I  mean  cere- 
mony—  is  going  to  begin,"  said  Fitz. 

In  a  short  time  a  procession  appeared,  bringing  a  slab  of 
white  wood,  pointed  on  the  top,  and  a  board,  on  which  was  a 

tray  containing  a  dried  sal- 
mon and  two  leaves  of  to- 
bacco. 

There  w^as  no  priest ; 
the  chief  attending  to  the 
spiritual  as  w^ell  as  tem- 
poral wants  of  his  people, 
and  acting  as  master  of 
the  ceremonies. 

He  invited  the  travel- 
lers to  seat  themselves 
where  they  could  see  the  interior  of  the  little  hut ;  then,  taking  a 
rude  spade,  entered  the  structure,  and  began  to  dig  a  hole. 
When  this  was  about  a  foot  and  a  half  deep,  he  directed  his 
people  to  bring  in  the  slab,  which  he  set  upright  exactly  in  the 
centre  of  the  building.  After  it  was  fixed  to  his  satisfaction, 
he  tied  six  strips  of  a  bark  cloth,  called  mose,  round  it,  laid  the 
board  in  front  of  it,  and  placed  the  offerings,  as  shown  in  the 
picture. 

While  he  was  doing  this,  his  assistants  had  erected  the 
trestles  on  each  side  of  the  door,  and  decorated  them  with 
the  greenery. 


FUNERAL    DECORATIONS. 


MOVING   UP  THE    WESTERN  COAST  OF  KARAFUTO.     225 


As  soon  as  they  had  finished,  all  the  tribe  bowed,  and 
remained  with  their  faces  to  the  ground  for  several  moments, 
then  rose,  and  hastily  quitted  the  place. 

"The  ceremony  is  over,"  said  Lieut.  Koski. 

"  What !  "  said  Fitz.  "  No  prayers,  no  flowers,  nothing 
but  that  old  o^reen  stuff !  These  Samelenko  don't  know 
how  to  conduct  a  funeral." 

The  houses  in  Tamu- 
rao  were  differently  con- 
structed from  what  the 
travellers  had  seen  in 
other  parts  of  the  island, 
beine  built  like  Western 
log  cabins,  and  roofed 
with  sheets  of  bark  kept 
in  position  by  heavy  limbs 
of  trees. 

The  lieutenant  informed 
them  that  the  edifices  were 
erected  by  the  Colletske, 
who,  although  nomads, 
were  the  most  ingenious 
of  the  five  tribes. 

"To-morrow  we  shall 
start  forTonu,"he  said.  "There  you  will  see  the  Colletske: 
they  are  indeed  smart,  and  can  turn  their  hands  to  almost  any 
thing." 

It  did  not  take  long  to  thoroughly  inspect  Tamurao  ;  the 
only  object  of  interest  shown  them  being  a  befch  (coat-of- 
mail)  belonging  to  the  chief,  who  said  it  was  made  by  the 
Colletske.     It  consisted  of  a  leathern  coat   (i)   covered  with 


SAMELENKO    WOMAN'S    MONUMENT. 


226 


THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


plates  of  iron  about  six  inches  in  length,  and  a  helmet  (2)  of 
the  same  material. 

The  man  appeared  to  be  very  proud  of  the  betch,  and 
assured  his  visitors  that  it  would  protect  him  against  any 
weapon.  In  order  to  prove  his  assertion,  he  hung  it  on  a  fence, 
and  invited  his  people  to  discharge  their  arrows  at  it. 

"There!"  he  exclaimed,  as  the  last  shaft  glanced  harm- 
lessly off.     "Is  not  that  a  wonderful  thing?" 


HOUSE    IN    TAMURAO. 


"  Have  these  people  ever  seen  fire-arms  used?"  asked  the 
Professor. 

"Probably  not,"  replied  their  guide.  "Although  they  live 
close  to  the  sea,  they  seldom  go  near  it ;  and  until  lately,  when 
a  foreign  ship  approached,  they  would  run  into  the  woods,  and 
hide  like  frightened  children." 

"  I  would  love  to  show  them  the  effect  of  a  rifle-ball  on  that 
coat,"  said  Fitz.  "  May  I  ask  the  chief  to  let  me  have  a  shot 
or  two,  sir  ?  " 

"  Not  on  any  account,"  replied  his  father.  "  I  suppose  you 
think  it  would  be  great  fun  to  do  what  you  ask." 


MOVING    UP  THE    WESTERN  COAST  OF  KARAFUTO.     227 


The  boy  looked  very  penitent,  and  replied,  — 

"  I  thoueht  it  would  be  kinder  humane  to  let  them  know 
what  a  decayed  stick  they  are  trusting  to,  sir.  They  are 
conceited  about  the  thing  now  ;  but,  if  I  were  to  put  three  or 
four  balls  through  it,  they  would  wake  up  to  the  fact  that  they 
had  better  put  their  trust  in  Providence  instead  of  in  that  belch. 
May  I  not  have  just  one  pop  at 
it  ?  My  act  might  save  many 
valuable  Samelenko  lives." 

'*  No,  sir  :  we  will  leave  them 
in  their  ignorance,"  said  his 
father.  "  They  are  under  Rus- 
sian protection,  and  will,  I  dare 
say,  never  have  an  occasion  to 
wear  their  suits-of-mail." 

As  they  bade  the  chief 
good-by,  Fitz  ruefully  glanced 
at  the  garment,  and  mur- 
mured, — 

"  I  think  it  would  be  real 
missionar}^  labor  to  convince 
the  poor  fellow  that  his  tin 
suit  would  not  stand  fire.  He  will  ^o  on  braQ-crincf  about  it 
until  some  drunken  sailor  opens  his  eyes  with  a  revolver. 
Well,  I  suppose  father  knows  best." 

About  four  o'clock  the  party  returned  to  the  shore,  and, 
re-embarking  on  board  the  man-of-war,  started  for  the  Colletske 
village  of  Tonu,  on  the  extreme  north-west  point  of  Karafuto. 

The  water  being  very  deep  along  the  shore,  the  vessel  kept 
quite  close  to  the  land,  and  the  travellers  saw  some  interesting 
sights. 


COAT-OF-MAIL. 


22S 


THE   BEAR-WORSIIIPPERS    OF   YEZO. 


"There  is  a  Colletske  canoe,"  said  the  heutenant,  pointing 
to  a  craft  drawn  up  on  the  beach.  "It  is  made  of  hard  wood, 
and  is  much  stronger  than  the  boats  used  by  the  other  tribes." 

"  Look  at  those  people  leading  a  deer,"  cried  Sallie,  who 
was  scanning  the  shore  with  her  glass.  "  Both  of  them  are 
armed  with  bows  and  arrows,  and  the  woman  has  a  quiver  on 
her  back." 

"  These  natives  sometimes  train  the  deer  to  draw  sleds," 
said  their  guide.     "  However,  they  usually  employ  dogs." 

"The  man  is  laughing,  is  he  not?  and  appears  to  be  making 
fun  of  the  woman,"  remarked  Johnnie,  who  was  also  regarding 


COLLETSKE    CANOE. 


the  group  through  his  glass.  "  Do  you  observe,  his  hair  is 
combed  back  after  the  style  of  the  Karafuto  Ainos,  and  that  he 
and  the  woman  wear  earrings  like  the  people  at  Hakotan  ? " 

"These  Colletske  make  or  import  those  ornaments  for  the 
Ainos,"  said  the  Russian.  "  They  and  the  Santan  move  all  over 
the  island,  and,  as  soon  as  the  strait  is  frozen  over,  cross  to 
Tartary,  where  they  engage  in  trade,  and  work  at  various 
handicrafts." 

"  Look  at  those  dogs  tracking  that  canoe,"  said  FItz.  "  See, 
the  man  is  staring  at  us,  and  not  attending  to  his  steering. 
They  have  nearly  drawn  his  craft  on  shore." 

The  Colletske  seized  the  hide-rope  to  w^hich  his  animals 
were  hitched,  'and  jerked  it  over  one  of  the  bone  thole-pins,  on 


230  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF  YEZO. 

the  starboard  side  of  the  craft.  This  brought  the  latter  parallel 
with  the  shore,  and  caused  the  dogs  to  continue  their  proper 
course. 

The  boilers  of  the  man-of-war  being  out  of  order,  the 
vessel  could  only  steam  about  seven  knots  an  hour,  which  rate 
of  speed  was  not  beyond  the  power  of  the  animals. 

''  We  are  croine  to  have  a  race,"  cried  Fitz.  "  Isn't  this  fun  ? 
Modern  science  against  five  )aller  dawgs." 

The  Colletske  evidently  believed  that  he  could  keep  pace 
with  the  vessel,  and  was  on  his  mettle.  He  flourished  his 
paddle,  yelled,  and  waved  his  arms  in  a  most  comical  fashion, 
urging  the  willing  creatures  at  the  top  of  their  speed. 

"This  is  really  exciting,"  said  Sallie.  "  I  hope  the  man  will 
win  :  he  isn't  afraid  to  try  what  he  can  do." 

"  Go  it,  old  gentleman  !  "  cried  the  usually  sedate  Johnnie, 
watching  their  opponent  through  a  glass.     "  You  are  game." 

After  racing  for  about  a  mile,  during  wdiich  the  dogs  had  to 
swim  several  streams  that  intersected  their  course,  the  man 
suddenly  checked  them,  and  ran  the  bow  of  his  craft  on  shore. 

"  Ah !  he  has  given  up  the  contest,"  said  Mrs.  Jewett. 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it,  niamma,"  cried  Sallie,  clapping  her  hands 
gleefully.     "  He  is  real  smart.     He  is  going  to  land  his  load." 

The  Colletske  did  not  take  long  to  disembark  his  cargo, 
which  consisted  of  a  bale  of  dried  salmon,  covered  with  deer- 
skin. In  another  instant  he  was  in  the  stern  of  his  canoe, 
urging  his  dogs,  and  shouting  defiantly  at  the  man-of-war. 

"  Bravo,  Colletske  !  "  exclaimed  the  Professor.  "  You  have 
true  grit." 

The  dogs  soon  drew  the  craft  ahead,  and  were  vanishing 
round  the  base  of  a  promontory,  when  the  tow-line  parted,  and 
the  man  w-ent  backward,  heels  over  head,  into  the  water. 


232  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF  YEZO. 

"  He'll  be  drowned !  he'll  he  drowned !  "  said  Sallle,  as  the 
fellow  floundered  about.     "I'm  so  sorry !  " 

Every  one  felt  gieatly  interested,  even  the  Japanese  sailors 
watching  the  native,  and  commenting  upon  his  pluck.  In  a 
few  seconds  he  stood  upright,  and  began  to  wade  after  his 
canoe,  and  to  shout,  — 

"  Yck,  yck  !  "  ("  Stop,  stop  !  ") 

By  that  time  the  man-of-war  had  gone  ahead :  however, 
nothing  daunted,  he  secured  his  craft,  which  had  drifted  close 
in  shore,  whistled  his  animals  to  him,  spliced  his  tow-line,  and, 
once  more  embarking,  urged  them  in  the  most  frantic  manner. 

"  Good,  good  !  "  cried  the  Americans. 

"  Yoi,  yoi  .^"  ("  First-rate  !  ")  shouted  the  Japanese. 

"  I  think  I  must  order  the  chief  engineer  to  increase  our 
speed,"  said  Capt.  Imadate,  glancing  slyly  at  Sallie.  "  It  will 
never  do  to  allow  that  savage  to  beat  us." 

"  Or  for  us  to  burst  the  boilers,"  was  the  quick  response. 
"  Oh,  I  hope  the  Colletske  will  win  !  " 

As  she  spoke,  the  canoe  passed  the  vessel ;  seeing  which, 
the  commander  asked  Lieut.  Koski  to  hail  the  native,  and  tell 
him  to  come  on  board,  and  receive  a  present. 

The  man,  instead  of  accepting  the  invitation,  kept  right  on, 
and  in  half  an  hour  vanished  round  the  point  of  Tonu. 

"  I  am  glad  he  has  beaten  us,"  said  Sallie.  "  I  don't  care  ! 
people  who  are  persevering  and  plucky  ought  to  win." 

"  You  are  right,  Miss  Jewett,"  said  the  captain.  "  Now  we 
,are  approaching  shoal-water,  and  will  have  to  run  farther  out 
from  the  shore,  or  get  aground." 

When  they  were  entering  the  harbor  of  Tonu,  they  saw  the 
Colletske  coming  back  at  full  speed. 

"  Why  does  he  return  ?  "  inquired  Johnnie. 


234  T^^  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF  YEZO. 

"  He  is  eoine  to  look  after  his  caroro,"  said  Fitz.  "  He  is  a 
deal  too  smart  to  leave  it  I)'ing  round  loose  on  the  shore." 

About  eight  o'clock  that  evening  they  came  to  anchor  in 
the  harbor  of  Tonu. 

"Where  is  the  city?"  said  Fitz. 

"  On  the  point  to  the  right,"  replied  Oto. 

"  You  call  those  five  huts  built  on  piles  and  those  fish- 
flakes  a  city,  do  you  ? "  said  the  boy.     "  Well,  I  want  to  know  !  " 

Oto  smiled,  then  quietly  replied,  — 

"  Do  not  get  excited,  Fitz.  Out  on  the  plains,  I  have  heard 
two  shanties  and  a  hog-pen  just  as  incorrecdy  designated." 

"That's  so,"  drawled  Johnnie.  "  Brother,  as  usual  Oto  has 
got  the  best  of  you." 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it,"  was  the  sharp  retort.  "  If,  out  West, 
they  ever  call  such  a  small  place  a  city,  )'ou  will  find  a  mayor 
living  in  one  of  the  log  huts,  and  the  aldermen  in  the  other ; 
and,  if  a  settlement  is  not  much  at  first,  it  soon  develops  its 
resources,  —  which  is  more  than  you  can  say  of  Tonu." 

Then  Fitz,  having  vindicated  the  national  reputation,  walked 
forward  whistling  "  America." 


WITH  THE    COLLETSKE. 


235 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

WITH   THE   C(JLLETSK£. 

"  The  traveller  ivJio  imagines  he  is  tlie  first  to  penetrate  a  strange  la7td,  sees  not 
tie  iiiipiints  of  the  billion  footsteps  that  time  has  levelled  in  his  path. ''^ 


^r^HIS  Tonu  is  quite  a  place,"  said  Fitz,  who  had  been  to  the 
JL     mast-head,  and  reconnoitred  the  village  throiio-h  a  field- 
Mass.     "  What  time  shall  we  o-q  on  shore,  sir  ? " 

"  About  nine  o'clock,"  said  his  father.     "  I  am  very  anxious 
to  see  the  habitations  of  the  Colletske." 


HOUSE    IN    TCNU. 


The  party  embarked  in  the  captain's  gig,  and  were  rowed 
up  a  creek  to  the  town,  which  contained  about  thirty  houses, 
built  like  the  Samelenkos'  huts,  with  the  crevices  of  the  beams 
calked  with  moss,  and  the  outer  and  inner  walls  coated  with  a 
very  hard  plaster. 

"  Of  what  is  this  cement  made  ? "  asked  Johnnie. 


236 


THE  BEAR -WORSHIPPERS   OF  YEZO. 


"They  burn  shells,  and  mix  the  lime  thus  procured  with  a 
clay  found  in  the  mountains,"  said  Lieut.  Koski.  "  It  bears  the 
heat  very  well ;  but  the  hard  frosts  cause  it  to  crack,  and  come 
to  pieces." 

"  Well,  their  architecture  is  an  improvement  on  that  of  the 
Ainos,"  remarked  Johnnie.  "  I  suppose  they  took  the  idea  of 
paper  windows  from  Japan." 

"  No  :  they  got  that  and  the  material  from  China,"  answered 
the  Russian.  "  You  would  be  astonished  at  the 
amount  of  traffic  between  this  island  and  the 
mainland.  Some  of  the  Colletske  have  been  to 
Pekin.  I  do  not  think  they  owe  any  of  their 
civilization  to  Japan." 

Upon  entering  the  house,  the  travellers  found 
the  usual  raised  benches  covered  with  mats,  and 
noticed  that  the  place  was  heated  by  a  flue,  in 
the  Russian  fashion,  the  smoke  escaping  through 
holes  in  the  o-ables, 

A  woman,  who   was   making  a  quiver,   rose 

upon  seeing  the  visitors,  and  exhibited  her  work. 

It    consisted    of   two    pieces,  —  a  board    (A)  to 

which    were    fastened    the    leathern   thongs   that 

secured    it    to  the    hunter's   back;    and    the  arrow-holder  (B), 

which  was  of  willow,  fitted  with  a  lid  (C)  of  the  same  material. 

The  only  instrument  she  used  was  a  clumsy  knife  of  very 

common  iron,  that  required  sharpening  every  few  minutes. 

She  showed  them  a  number  of  articles  that  she  had  made 
during  the  winter ;  then  invited  the  party  outside  to  be  intro- 
duced to  her  husband,  who  was  a  blacksmith,  and,  for  a  savag^e, 
very  wealthy. 

They   found    him    squatted    behind   a   stone    anvil,   making 


COLLETSKE     QUIVER. 


WITH  THE   COLLETSKE. 


237 


sickles  for  cutting  grass.  On  his  right  was  a  primitive  forge, 
the  bellows  of  which  were  respectively  of  seal  and  fish  skin, 
furnished  with  wooden  nozzles. 

As  the  party  entered,  the  smith  rose,  and  saluted  them  by 
raising  his  hands  to  the  top  of  his  head,  and  bringing  them 
gradually  down  his  face.  He  looked  very  much  like  a  Kara- 
futo  Aino,  and  had  a  decided  cast  in  one  of  his  eyes. 


KOJE,    THE    SMITH. 


"This  fellow  is  a  real  good  workman,"  said  the  lieutenant. 
"  He  has  often  been  employed  by  our  officials  to  rivet  chains 
on  convicts." 

"  Oh  !  you  chain  them  up,  do  you  ?"  said  Fitz. 

"  When  they  are  rebellious,"  was  the  quiet  response.  "  If 
they  do  not  give  trouble  they  are  allowed  many  privileges.  — 
Come,  Koje,"  to  the  smith,  "  show  these  visitors  how  you  make 
your  bellows." 


238 


THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


Koje  took,  from  the  beams  overhead,  a  bag-  made  from  the 
skin  of  a  seal  (i),  one  end  of  which  was  open,  and  the  other 
tightly  lashed  around  a  wooden  tube  (2)  about  two  feet  long, 

"This  one  is  being  cured,"  he  said.  "As  soon  as  it  is 
ready  for  use,  I  put  a  whalebone  hoop  inside  it,  and  take  a 
hollow  piece  of  wood  (A)  in  which  there  is  a  valve,  gather  the 
open  end  of  the  bag  (B)  together,  and  tie  it  to  the  handle. 
Two  of  these  make  one  set  of  bellows  :  they  last  nearly  a  year." 


COLLETSKE    BELLOWS. 


"  I  see  those  he  uses  are  furnished  with  square  tubes,"  said 
Fitz,  "  and  that  one  of  them  is  made  of  fish-skin." 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  man,  when  the  question  was  translated 
to  him,  "  I  use  those  because  one  of  my  sealskin  bellows  is 
worn  out ;  "  taking  up  the  object  referred  to,  and  reversing  it. 
"  You  notice,  I  have  had  to  rivet  a  piece  of  deer-hide  on  the 
under  side  of  this  because  the  fish-skin  wears  out  so  quickly." 

"  Ask  him  to  continue  his  work,"  said  the  Professor. 

Koje    complied,    and,    returning    to    his    anvil,    seized    his 


WITH  THE    COLLETSKE.  239 

pincers,  and  thrust  a  strip  of  iron  into  the  fire.  One  of  his 
assistants,  seated  on  a  box,  took  the  bellows  upon  his  knees  ; 
while  another  man  placed  the  nozzles  in  position,  and  laid  a 
rock  upon  them.  The  bellows-blower  then  w^orked  the  instru- 
ments up  and  down,  and  produced  a  steady  blast  that  soon 
brought  the  charcoal  to  a  red  heat, 

"  I  see,"  said  Johnnie.  "  By  alternately  raising  the  right  and 
left  bellows,  he  is  enabled  to  produce  a  regular  blast.  If  lie 
worked  them  simultaneously,  the  air  would  only  come  in  puffs," 

"  Our  ancestors  used  the  same  kind  of  apparatus,"  said  the 
Professor, 

"These  were  copied  from  the  Chinese,"  remarked  the 
Russian. 

"  Japanese  smiths  use  bellows  that  are  very  much  like 
these,"  said  Oto ;  adding  quietly,  "we  have  also  adopted 
the  American  forge." 

Koje  gave  directions  to  his  second  man,  who  was  sharpen- 
ing blades  on  a  whetstone  which  he  kept  moist  by  dipping  his 
hands  in  water ;  then  the  smith  took  up  a  little  hammer,  re- 
moved the  strip  of  iron  from  the  fire,  and  continued  his  labor. 

"  How  many  hours  does  it  take  him  to  make  one  of  those 
sickles  ?  "  inquired  Johnnie. 

"  About  six,"  was  the  reply. 

"  How  much  is  he  paid  for  them  ? " 

When  this  was  translated,  Koje  scratched  his  ear,  as  though 
he  were  puzzled,  and  answered, — 

"  Sometimes  I  get  a  measure  of  sake ;  at  others,  a  little  rice, 
or  a  skin  of  millet  or  grain.  Many  people  give  me  a  skin  of 
fish-oil,  or  a  piece  of  fur  to  help  make  a  garment." 

"  Don't  they  have  any  circulating  medium  here?"  demanded 
Fitz. 


240  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS    OF   YEZO. 

"  No,"  answered  their  guide  :  "  these  folks  have  no  use  for 
money.  They  supply  the  hunters  and  fishermen,  and  in  return 
are  furnished  with  food,  furs,  and  materials  for  clothing.  I 
believe  there  is  a  sort  of  value  placed  on  bear,  fox,  otter,  deer, 
and  dog  skins,  that  is  thoroughly  understood  by  the  natives, 
and  works  very  well." 

"But  what  do  they  do  when  they  go  over  to  Tartary?" 
asked  Johnnie. 

"  These  Colletske  understand  business,"  answered  the 
officer.  "They  will  load  up  a  sled  with  skins,  and  exchange 
the  latter  for  iron,  rice,  samshoo,  and  whatever  their  trade  calls 
for" 

"  What  is  samshoo  ?  "  inquired  Fitz. 

"Chinese  sake,''  said  their  friend.  "As  you  may  imagine, 
they  do  not  require  a  very  elaborate  system  of  book-keeping." 

"Now  I  know  why  'Exchange  or  Barter'  is  put  in  our 
school-books,"  said  Fitz.  "  I  suppose  the  captains  of  whalers 
who  come  here  trade  off  their  investments  with  these  inno- 
cents, and  the  rules  are  put  in  our  books  for  the  skipper's 
benefit." 

"  We  do  considerable  swapping  in  New  England,"  said 
Johnnie. 

"  All  primitive  people  use  that  method,"  remarked  Oto. 

"You  don',  call  Massachusetts  folks  primitive,  do  you?" 
demanded  Fitz,  whose  eyes  flashed  with  indignation. 

Oto  gave  one  of  his  peculiar  laughs,  and  replied, — 

"Do  you  remember  our  tramp  round  Cape  Cod?  We 
encountered  some  characters  almost  as  original  as  these 
Colletske,  did  we  not  ? " 

Fitz  chuckled  at  this,  and  drawled,  — 

"Well  —  yeeas  —  so  we    did;"   adding  with   a  wink,  "but 


WITH  THE    COLLETSKE. 


241 


they  all  knew  the  value  of  currency.  You  did  not  find  one  of 
them  refuse  a  dollar." 

"  No,  nor  a  cent,"  said  thoughtful  Johnnie.  "  Oto  is  cor- 
rect :  some  of  our  folks  are  —  slightly  primitive." 

After  watching  the  smith  for  a  while,  they  bade  him  adieu, 
and  went  with  his  wife  to  see  a  man  who  made  sleighs,  snow- 
shoes,  and  boats.  They  found  him  busily  engaged  putting  the 
finishing  touches  to  a  canoe  (A)  made  of  willow  planks  lashed 
together  with  thongs  of  deer-hide. 

The  boys  examined  it  very  attentively,  then  Johnnie  said, — 


COLLETSKt    BOAT. 


"The  craft  we  saw  down  the  coast  had  the  thole-pins  pegged 
on  to  the  gunwale,  and  this  has  them  lashed.  It  also  lacks  the 
shoe-piece  under  the  bow.  This  is  poor,  soft  wood  to  make  a 
canoe  of,  and  it  is  wonderful  how  neatly  the  parts  are  put 
together.  FItz,  do  you  see  that  it  is  calked  with  moss  and 
seal-fat  ? " 

"I  do  not  want  to  see  it  in  order  to  make  that  discovery," 
answered  the  bo}'.  "  My  nose  has  already  informed  me  of  the 
fact." 

"What  value  does  he  put  on  this?"  inquired  the  Professor. 

"  I  suppose,"  said  Fitz,  answering  for  the  interpreter,  "  he 
would  take  a  tub  of  sake,  a  couple  of  bear-skins,  and  a  pass 
for  the  circus." 


242 


THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


"  Do  be  serious,  sir,"  said  his  father.  "  My  questions  are 
put  in  order  to  ascertain  the  value  of  certain  natural  and 
mechanical  products,  and  are  not  intended  to  create  amuse- 
ment." 

"  Sorry,  sir,"  murmured  the  boy,  moving  towards  a  sleigh 
(B)  that  stood  under  a  shed  near  the  boat.  "  If  you  want  to 
invest,  buy  this :  then  we  could  all  go  coasting  when  we  get 
home  next  winter." 

The  conveyance  w^as  made  of  a  tough,  light  wood,  the 
handles  being  formed  of  whalebone,  and  the  top  of  slats  lashed 


COLLETSKE    SLEIGH. 


on  with  deer-sinews.     It  was  very  well  constructed,  and  would 
carry  quite  a  load. 

"These  Colletske  move  all  over  the  country  during  the 
winter,"  said  the  Russian.  "They  harness  from  four  to  ten 
dogs  to  these  sleds,  and  sometimes  travel  sixty  miles  a  day. 
After  the  snow  begins  to  fly,  they  never  think  of  walking.  Do 
you  observe  that  every  exposed  part  of  this  vehicle  is  bound 
with  hide,  and  the  runners  are  shod  with  bone  ?  I  have  known 
one  of  these  vehicles  to  be  loaded  with  two  thousand  pounds 
of  fish,  after  which  the  owner  perched  himself  on  the  top  of 
the  pile." 


WITH  THE    COLLETSKE.  243 

"What  are  these  ciirled-up  shingles  (D)  for?"  asked  Sallie. 

"Those  are  snow-shoes,"  was  the  answer.  "They  secure 
them  to  their  feet  with  two  thongs  of  deer-hide,  tied  crosswise, 
and  can  slip  them  off  and  on  like  a  Japanese  clog." 

"Are  these  iron-pointed  sticks  darts?"  asked  Johnnie, 
taking  up  a  light  staff  about  three  feet  long,  the  point  of 
which  was  tipped  with  copper. 

"They  are  used  to  steer  the  sleighs  with,"  was  the  answer. 
"  Sometimes,  when  the  dogs  are  unmanageable,  they  are 
prodded  with  a  stick." 

"  How  cruel  of  them  !  "  said  Sallie. 

"  It  does  not  hurt  the  dogs,  miss,"  answered  the  amused 
Russian.  "  We  use  hundreds  of  the  animals  in  our  coal-mines. 
By  the  way,  there  is  quite  a  large  mine  four  or  five  miles  up  the 
creek.  Would  you  like  to  visit  it  ?  The  shaft  is  very  deep,  and 
the  coal  of  a  curious  kind,  containing  the  remains  of  gigantic 
ferns,  mosses,  and  the  trunks  of  trees." 

"We  have  similar  coal  in  our  country,"  said  Johnnie.  "  Do 
the  Colletske  work  your  mines  ?  " 

"We  employ  our  convicts  to  do  that,"  answered  the  lieu- 
tenant. "  In  the  winter  many  of  them  remain  under  ground 
for  several  weeks  at  a  time." 

"  I  suppose  they  prefer  that  to  running  the  risk  of  being 
frozen  to  death  above,"  observed  Fitz.  "  It  seems  very  sad  to 
exile  people  to  such  a  place  as  this." 

"They  bring  the  punishment  upon  themselves,"  quietly 
returned  the  Russian.  "  Instead  of  working  like  honest  men, 
they  endeavor  to  live  upon  the  weakness  of  their  fellow- 
creatures,  whom  they  make  discontented  and  unhappy.  When 
we  catch  such  fellows,  we  send  them  here,  and  make  use 
of  them.     Supposing   you    had    a    lazy,    discontented,   sav^age. 


244 


THE  BEAR -WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


iinriiK-,   ignorant  class  In   New  York,  what  would  you  do  with 
them  ? " 

Fitz  made  a  comical  g-rimace,  then  said,  — 
"  Well,  we   would  let  them   run  our  political   machine.     It 
would  be  better  than   keeping  them  in  prison  :  such  creatures; 

have  to  live  anyhow." 

Before  the  travellers  left,  the  sleigh- 
maker  brought  out  a  curious  bottle  made 
of  metal,  and  a  wooden  cup  decorated 
with  five  dots  arranged  in  a  peculiar  man- 
ner. 

Their  host  smiled,  then  bowed,  and 
said,  — 

''  Will  you  drink  ?  " 
•'  What  is  it  ?  "  asked  Fitz. 
"  Vodke  "  (Russian  whiskey),  returned 
the  old  fellow. 

"  Lieut.  Koski,"  said  the  Professor, 
"  kindly  explain  to  this  gentleman,  that 
my  family  has  been  raised  upon  strict 
temperance  principles.  Will  you  also 
ask  him  to  be  good  enough  to  let  me 
examine  that  bottle  ?  " 

Their  host  did  so  ;  and,  upon  looking 
closely  at  the  metal,  he  remarked, — 

"Why,  this  is  made  of  pure  tin.  Is  it  a  product  of  this 
island  ?  " 

"  No :  it  comes  from  Tartary,  Professor.  There  are  many 
such  articles  made  there  by  the  natives.  You  will  everywhere 
find  evidences  of  the  close  communication  of  the  people  of 
this  island  and  the  Tartars." 


TIN    BOTTLE. 


WITH  THE    COLLETSKE.  245 

**Yes,"  said  Oto,  "that  is  the  reason  why  Japan  felt  no 
compunction  about  ceding  Karafuto  to  your  country.  We  had 
never  regarded  either  the  Samelenko,  the  Colletske,  the  Santan, 
or  Oroko  as  Japanese.  Some  foreigners  have  spoken  dispara- 
gingly about  our  yielding  part  of  our  empire  ;  while  really,  for 
many  years,  we  only  controlled  the  inhabitants  of  this  place 
who  lived  below  the  forty-eighth  parallel." 

When  the  sled-maker  found  that  his  guests  would  not  par- 
take of  his  hospitality,  he  offered  them  the  wooden  cup  which 
he  said  he  had  manufactured. 

"  Dear  me !  "  said  the  Professor,  regarding  it  with  interest. 
"  I  wonder  how  he  made  this." 

"  Jacked  it  out  with  a  knife,"  glibly  suggested  Fitz.  "I  do 
not  believe  there  is  a  turning-lathe  in  the  reservation." 

"This  decoration  is  peculiar,"  said  his  father,  smilingly 
regarding  his  host.  '  V.o  doubt  these  five  dots  have  a  signifi- 
cance.    Can  you,  Lieut.  Koski,  ascertain  what  it  is?" 

While  their  friend  was  endeavoring  to  extract  the  informa- 
tion from  their  host,  Fitz  w^hispered  to  his  father,  — 

"  I  know,  sir.  It  is  intended  to  represent  a  man's  eyes, 
nose,  and  mouth.  Art  is  in  its  infancy  up  in  these  regions. 
They  do  not  understand  any  thing  about  tone  and  color- 
harmony." 

"Your  son  guessed  rightly,"  said  the  Russian.  "Those 
dots  were  intended  to  represent  a  friend  of  this  man's  who 
died  last  winter." 

"He  must  have  been  very  homely-featured,"  said  Fitz. 
"Hullo!  what  is  the  old  fellow  gO'"g  to  show  us  now?" 

The  man  went  to  his  storehouse,  and  brought  out  a'  straight 
sword  (i),  and  a  bow  (2)  and  arrow  (3),  which  he  offered  to 
the  Jewett  boys,  saying,  — 


246 


THE  BEAR-WORSHirPERS   OF   YEZO. 


"  I  am  a  very  humble  person,  and  not  wealthy :  still,  having 
honored  me  with  your  presence,  I  cannot  let  you  go  away 
empty-handed.  Please  accept  this  sword :  it  was  forged  by 
my  brother,  who  was  swallowed  by  a  whale  several  years 
ago." 

"  He  must  have  been  a  Colletske  Jonah,"  said  Fitz. 
"  He  means  that  his  brother  was  killed  by  a  whale,"  quietly 

answered  the  lieutenant.  "  He 
says  that  bow  is  made  of  a 
tough  wood,  found  only  near 
this  place." 

"  Were  they  manufactured 
by  his  brother  Jonah  ? "  said 
Johnnie,  who  was  sceptical 
about  the  story. 

"  No  :  they  are  of  his  own 
make,  and  the  arrow  is  poi- 
soned," was  the  reply. 

"Come,"  said  the  captain, 
looking  in  at  the  door.  "  We 
are  going  to  have  some  rough 
weather,  and  I  am  anxious  to 
get  round  to  Toronto  on  the 
north-east  side.  It  has  a  fine 
harbor,  and  if  a  hurricane 
comes  on  we  can  ride  it  out  there." 

The  travellers  bade  adieu  to  Tonu,  and,  embarking  on  board 
the  ship,  steamed  round  the  extreme  northern  point  of  Kara- 
futo,  and  started  down  the  east  coast. 

It  took  them  a  day  and  a  night  to  reach  Toronto  Bay ;  by 
which  time  the  strong  breeze,  blowing  when  they  started,  had 


COLLETSKE    WEAPONS. 


248 


TJJE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF  YEZO. 


culminated  in  a  hurricane,  that  kept  them  on  board  the  vessel 
forty-eight  hours  after  they  came  to  anchor. 

When  the  gale  was  over,  they  landed,  and  found  two  Santan 
girls  cleaning  salmon  upon  the  beach.  Their  hair  was  dressed 
in  a  mixed  Aino  and  Tartar  st)le  ;  and  both  of  them  were  very 
merry  and  free,  saluting  the  travellers  without  the  least  sign  of 


SANTAN    GIRLS. 


embarrassment.  They  wore  buttons  on  their  dresses  in  Chinese 
fashion,  and  one  of  the  girls  had  her  robe  trimmed  with  brass 
rings  the  size  of  a  silver  dollar. 

The  maidens  were  so  busy  that  they  did  not  stop  while 
chatting  with  the  visitors,  but  talked  and  worked,  saying,  — 

"The  gale  caused  the  fish  to  retire  to  deep  water;  but,  as 
soon  as  they  knew  that  the  wind  was  abating,  they  returned  in 
great  numbers,  and  this  morning  our  people  have  had  their 
nets  full." 


WITH  THE    COLLETSKE. 


249 


The  Santans  were  living  in  their  summer-quarters,  which 
consisted  of  tents  made  of  the  skins  of  fishes,  rudely  sewn 
together  upon  a  frame  composed  of  roughly  cut  saplings  tied 
with  thongs  of  deer- hide. 

The  party  entered  one  of  the  structures,  which,  though  bare 
of  furniture,  was  neatly  kept,  and  waterproof. 

"  How  light  it  is !"  said  Fitz.  "It  is  like  a  tent  made  of 
oiled  paper." 

"  Yes,  and  quite  as  mal-odorous,"  said  Johnnie. 

"  Well,    you    cannot    expect    dried    fish-skin    to    have    the 


SANTAN    SUMMER     RESIDENCE. 


delightful  perfume  of  a  rose,"  said  Fitz  as  they  quitted  the 
structure.  "  I  think  this  is  a  smart  idea.  The  onlv  thincr  is,  it 
strikes  me  as  beincr  an  awful  waste  of  crlue-material." 

"  Why  do  they  call  this  place  Toronto  ? "  inquired  Sallie  of 
the  lieutenant.     "  Did  they  borrow  the  name  from  Canada?" 

The  Russian  laughed,  and  replied, — 

"The  fact  is,  the  Santans  originated  the  name:  so  the 
Canadians  must  have  appropriated  it." 

"  For  what  is  that  heavy  roof?"  asked  the  Professor,  point- 
ing to  a  structure  behind  one  of  the  tents. 


250 


THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


"That  is  a  summer  storehouse.  It  is  built  and  roofed 
with  saplings  in  order  to  protect  the  fish  from  the  crows, 
which  are  very  great  thieves.  Do  }ou  have  those  birds  in 
America  ? " 

"  Yes,"  said  Fitz  :  "  they  yanked  up  all  the  pease  I  planted 
one  spring." 


SANTAN    STOREHOUSE. 


"'Yank'  is  not  an  elegant  word,  my  son,"  whispered  his 
mother. 

"  I  understand  his  meaning,"  said  the  Russian. 

"  It  is  in  the  dictionary,"  murmured  the  boy. 

"  Mamma  knows  that,"  said  Sallie  ;  "  but  we  do  not  use  all 
the  words  we  find  there." 

"  Oh !  I  suppose  you  have  made  a  special  study  of  the 
lexicon,"  retorted  Fitz.  "  I  understand,  in  future  I  shall  have 
to  weigh  every  word  before  I  use  it." 

This  difference  of  opinion  highly  amused  Lieut.  Koski ;  who 


WITH  THE   COLLETSKE. 


251 


politely  waited  until  the  discussion  had  ended,  then  said  to  the 
Professor,  — 

"  Look  at  those  iona  kai''  (deer).     "The  Santans  use  them 
to  draw  their  sleds  ;  are  they  not  curious  creatures  ?  " 

The  gendeman  led  the  way  to  the  group  of  animals,  and 
after  examining  them  said,  — 

"  These  must  have  been  imported  from  Tartary.  I  do  not 
think  they  can  be  indige- 
nous. Come,  Fitz,  exercise 
your  powers  of  observation. 
Which  species  of  deer  do 
you  consider  this  to  be  ?  " 

The  boy  made  a  grimace, 
as  though  he  disliked  beinof 
catechised,  placed  his  right 
elbow  in  the  palm  of  his  left 
hand,  and  rested  his  chin 
upon  his  right  (his  father's 
favorite  position  when  lec- 
turing), then  said,  — 

"The  palmate  lower 
horns,  and  c}lindric  upper, 
would  lead  me  to  infer  these 
to  belong  to  the  Kangifer- 
caraboii ;  but,  from  the  extraordinary  length  of  their  tails,  I 
should  imagine  they  are  the  missing  link  between  the  mule 
and  the  deer.  I  should  conjecture  that  the  extreme  length  of 
their  caudal  appendages  has  been  caused  by  the  continual  at- 
tention brought  to  bear  upon  them  by  the  Santan  drivers,  who, 
no  doubt,  use  them  as  reins." 

"  That  will  do,  sir,"  sternly  answered  his  parent.     "When  I 


SANTAN    DEER    (TONA    KAI). 


252  THE  BEAR -WORSHIPPERS    OF   YEZO. 

question  you  with  regard  to  your  progress  in  the  science  of 
zoology,  I  do  not  desire  such  a  flippant  reply." 

"  Very  sorry,  sir,"  was  the  penitent  response.  "  I  could  not 
resist  telling  you  what  I  thought." 

The  travellers  visited  several  huts,  and  would  have  staid  a 
day  or  two  at  Toronto,  but  were  driven  on  board  the  ship  by 
dense  clouds  of  smoke  that  came  from  the  south,  and  rendered 
sight  and  breathing  very  difficult. 

As  they  were  embarking,  the  lieutenant  said,  — 

"  The  ground  is  on  fire  clown  by  Hento.  In  some  places 
the  soil  is  covered  for  several  feet  with  dead  leaves,  that  mat 
together ;  and,  the  summers  being  dry,  they  do  not  rot." 

*'  I  remember  tumbling  into  one  of  those  holes,"  said  Fitz. 
"  It  was  filled  with  dust-like  peat." 

*'  Yes,"  responded  the  Russian :  "  the  powder  resembles 
punk,  and  burns  quite  slowly.  The  natives  are  very  careless, 
and,  when  they  light  a  fire  in  the  woods,  are  too  stupid  to  think 
of  extinguishing  it.  These  slow  fires  will  burn  for  months,  and 
sometimes  years,  and  during  the  summer-time  are  often  very 
troublesome,  suffocating  numbers  of  the  natives." 

"  Say,"  cried  Fitz,  as  though  suddenly  remembering  some- 
thing, "  what  is  to-day  ?  " 

"  The  last  of  September,"  answered  his  father.  *'  How 
the  time  has  flown  !  It  will  be  winter  by  the  time  we  arrive 
home." 

"  Home  !  "  echoed  Johnnie.     "  Are  we  really  going,  sir  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  replied  his  father.  "  I  have  decided  to  decline 
the  offer  of  the  Japanese  Government,  which  wishes  me  to 
remain  in  Japan  for  another  term  of  years.  Your  mother  has 
had  enough  of  travelling ;  and  I  want  you,  boys,  to  go  to 
college." 


WITH  THE    COLLETSKE.  253 

"'Rah!"  cried  Fitz.  "That  is  good  news.  I  am  really 
hungering  for  a  sight  of  old  Cromlech.  Here  we  are  alongside 
the  ship.  —  Mother,  let  me  help  you  up." 

In  half  an  hour  they  were  steaming  down  the  burning  coast 
for  Horonai.    . 


2  54  THE  BEAK-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

AMONG   THE   OROKO. 

"  When  the  rats  come  indoors,  it  is  time  to  examine  yonr  winter  kimono " 
{clothes).  —  Japanese  Proverb. 

IT  is  growing  cold,"  said  Sallie,  as  she  promenaded  the  deck 
with  her  father,  "  I  should  not  be  astonished  if  we  had  a 
flurry  before  we  get  clear  of  Karafuto.  The  winter  begins  very 
early  in  this  region,  does  it  not,  Capt.  Imadate?" 

Their  friend  smiled,  and  said, — 

"  Yes  ;  but  even  if  we  have  a  slight  fall  of  snow,  I  do  not 
believe  it  will  inconvenience  you.  Here  is  Lieut.  Koski :  he 
knows  more  about  it  than  I  do." 

The  Russian  smiled,  and  said, — 

"  The  natives  -welcome  the  beautiful  snow :  it  enables  them 
to  get  about,  and  to  visit  distant  places.  At  the  first  fall 
they  harness  their  dogs  or  deer,  and  are  off  upon  trading- 
expeditions." 

"  You  quoted  '  Beautiful  Snow,' "  said  Sallie.  "  Have  you 
ever  heard  the  American  poem  of  that  name  ?  About  a  hun- 
dred people  claim  to  have  written  it." 

"  We  once  had  a  similar  bone  of  contention  in  Russia,"  said 
the  lieutenant ;  "  but  the  authorship  was  easily  decided,  the 
emperor  announcing  that  the  writer,  or  whoever  claimed  to  be 
such,  was  to  be  banished  to  Siberia,  which  quickly  setded  the 
question." 


AMONG   THE   OROKO.  255 

"  There  is  Horonai  right  ahead,"  said  Capt.  Imadate.  "  We 
shall  come  to  anchor  about  nine  o'clock,  and  you  can  disembark 
in  the  morning-.  I  think  you  will  be  very  much  interested  in 
the  Oroko  tribe.  I  shall  be  compelled  to  leave  you  on  shore 
for  a  few  days  while  I  run  back  to  see  if  I  can  render  the 
Santans  any  assistance.  Lieut.  Koski  is  afraid  the  loss  of  life 
through  this  fire  will  be  severe.  Both  Hento  and  Chia 
are  enveloped  in  a  dense  body  of  smoke,  and  I  fear  the  inhabit- 
ants have  not  sufficient  means  of  quitting  the  land." 

"  We  do  not  mind  tenting  it,"  said  Mrs.  Jewett.  "  I  am 
very  glad  you  are  going  to  the  assistance  of  the  poor  people." 

They  disembarked  early  on  the  following  morning,  and 
found  themselves  in  a  land-locked  harbor,  which  was,  however, 
more  shallow  than  any  they  had  before  visited.  The  Russian 
flag  was  flying  above  some  houses  occupied  by  the  coast-guard  ; 
and  Lieut.  Koski  told  the  travellers  that  about  two  miles  in 
the  interior  there  were  very  extensive  coal  and  copper  mines, 
worked  by  the  exiles, 

"  What  mountain  is  that  over  to  the  left  ? "  asked  Sallie. 

"Mount  Kitoshi,"  said  their  friend.  "We  saw  it  on  the 
other  side.  The  island  is  very  narrow,  and  is  a  mass  of  vol- 
canic formations." 

The  boys  hoisted  a  Japanese  and  an  American  flag  on  the 
tent,  and  the  sailors  cut  a  supply  of  wood  to  last  the  party 
several  days ;  then  the  captain  returned  on  board  his  ship,  and 
proceeded  up  the  coast. 

"  How  very  cold  it  is  growing !  "  said  Fitz  with  a  shiver.  "  I 
/wish  we  had  brouQfht  our  overcoats." 

About  nine  o'clock  the  snow  bee^n  to  fall,  and  bv  noon  it 
stormed  in  earnest. 

"This  is  pleasant,"  said  Johnnie.     "We  cannot  light  a  fire 


s^J^J*<?'■5a^^■.4■-■••v/;r,'*>r.•:^.-  .-, 


"^m 


AMONG    TJIE    OROKO.  257 

in  here,  for  fear  of  burning  down  the  tent.  I  am  afraid  we 
shall  be  half-frozen  before  the  ship  returns." 

In  a  few  moments  Lieut.  Koski,  who  had  been  out  in 
search  of  the  Oroko  village,  re-entered,  and  said, — 

"  I  have  got  some  news  for  you.  I  met  the  chief  of  this 
tribe,  who  will  presently  bring  a  sled  to  take  you  to  his 
dwelling." 

As  he  spoke  they  heard  voices  outside,  and  some  dogs 
barking. 

"  Let  us  go  and  see,"  cried  Fitz,  who,  enveloped  in  a  bear- 
skin robe,  looked  very  much  like  the  animal.    "  Ls  not  this  fun  !  " 

The  whole  party  followed  him,  and  beheld  two  Orokos  on  a 
sled  drawn  by  three  dogs.  The  men  saluted  by  placing  their 
fingers  on  their  foreheads ;  and  the  chief  said  to  the  lieu- 
tenant, — 

"  We  have  only  three  skins  of  oil  which  we  can  leave  here. 
Please  ask  your  friends  to  get  on  the  sled,  and  tell  them  I  will 
carry  them  to  my  house.  I  shall  be  very  much  honored  by 
their  taking  up  their  abode  there." 

The  boys  assisted  their  mother  and  sister  upon  the  vehicle, 
then,  with  their  father,  Oto,  and  the  lieutenant,  took  their 
places. 

"  All  aboard  !  "  shouted  Fitz.  "  The  next  stop  will  be  at  the 
Horonai  Hotel." 

The  men  fastened  an  extra  rope  to  the  sled,  and,  shouting 
to  the  dogs,  started  at  a  rapid  run. 

In  about  twenty  minutes  they  arrived  at  their  destination, 
which  proved  to  be  quite  a  well-built  structure,  and  was  really 
very  clean  and  cosey. 

"  This  man's  name  is  Ippu,"  said  their  guide.  "He  is  the 
chief  of  the  Oroko  tribe." 


AMONG    THE    OROKO.  259 

"  I  should  not  have  known  it,"  observed  Fitz.  "  He  does 
not  put  on  any  frills." 

"  He  wants  to  speak  to  you,"  continued  Lieut.  Koski,  as  the 
party  seated  themselves  upon  the  matted  -floor. 

"Tell  him  we  are  all  attention,"  said  the  Professor. 
"  And  please  inform  him  that  if  he  will  kindly  let  his  house, 
we  will  pay  any  sum  he  requires." 

The  Oroko  bowed  very  low^  then  said, — 

"This  is  a  very  poor  place.  I  have  nothing  here,  but  those 
old  swords  and  the  lacquer  tubs,  worth  your  looking  at.  You 
are  from  a  distant  land,  and  need  shelter :  accept  my  home,  and 
I  will  go  into  the  reindeer-shed,  which  is  very  warm  and  com- 
fortable." 

While  this  was  being  translated,  Fitz  said  in  an  undertone 
to  Sallie,  — 

"  He  is  like  old  Hardcase  at  Cromlech,  who  used  to  let  his 
house,  furnished,  to  summer  boarders,  and  take  up  his  abode  in 
the  hay-loft." 

Sallie  gave  him  a  cautionary  signal,  and  the  Professor 
looked  very  grave,  so  the  boy  did  not  continue  his  remarks. 

Ippu  was  about  to  retire,  when  the  Professor  said,  — 

"  Please  ask  him  to  stay  a  moment,  and  request  him  to  tell 
me  what  remuneration  he  expects." 

When  this  was  translated,  the  man  said, — 

"  I  do  not  understand  you.  I  cannot  sell  my  home  ;  and,  as 
for  your  staying  here,  you  will  honor  me  greatly  by  doing  so." 

"  I  wonder  whether  one  of  our  boarding-house  keepers 
would  consider  the  honor  of  Ippu's  company  sufficient  pay," 
whispered  Fitz  to  his  sister.  "  He  is  a  genuine  savage.  Gives 
up  his  house,  and  says  that  he  does  not  want  any  thing  for  his 
trouble.     Isn't  he  an  innocent  ? " 


26o  THE   JiKAR-WORSHIPPRRS    OF    YEZO. 

h'inding  the  chief  would  not  agree  to  accept  any  payment, 
the\-  allowed  him  to  retire  ;  then  all  hands  set  to  work  to  make 
themselves  comfortable. 

The\-  found  a  tub  full  of  fresh  spring-water,  and  a  stone 
trough  in  which  the)'  made  bread.  There  were  two  iron  kettles 
hung  upon  the  walls,  from  w^hich  were  also  suspended  a  copper 
axe,  two  iron  frying-pans,  lacquer  boxes  containing  rice,  some 
fine  swords,  quivers  of  arrows,  fish-spears,  and  inalio. 

Fitz  and  Johnnie  climbed  up  a  notched  pole,  and  surveyed 
the  contents  of  the  attic. 

Oto,  Mrs.  Jewett,  and  Sallie  built  a  fire  on  the  hearth  in  the 
centre  of  the  room ;  and  the  Professor  "  mooned "  round,  and 
made  notes  of  the  furniture. 

"  How  do  they  use  these  two  curious  pieces  of  wood,  hang- 
inor  near  this  stone  trouo-h  ?  "  asked  the  Professor. 

"Those  are  wooden  hams,  sir,"  said  Fitz.  "I  guess  they 
got  the  pattern  from  some  Fall-River  whaler.  Those  indigest- 
ible counterfeits  must  have  found  a  ready  market  among  these 
guileless  Orokos." 

"  Those  pieces  are  used  as  clappers,  in  order  to  give  an 
alarm  in  case  of  fire,"  said  the  lieutenant.  "They  do  look 
something  like  hams." 

Mrs.  Jewett  called  every  one  to  assist  in  preparing  the  meal ; 
and  they  had  a  very  merry  time,  the  building  being  filled  with 
dense  smoke  in  which  they  could  hardly  distinguish  each  other. 

After  a  wdiile  they  discovered  a  ventilator ;  and  by  dint  of 
opening  it,  and  rolling  up  the  reed  blind  that  served  as  a  door, 
they  contrived  to  render  the  atmosphere  bearable. 

That  night  they  slept  soundly  upon  the  matted  floor,  while 
outside  the  snow  w^as  falling,  and  the  wind  blowing  furiously. 

After  breakfast  the  next  morninq-,  an  Oroko,  clad  in  a  bear- 


262 


THE   BEAR-UORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


skin  coat  and  cap,  tiger-skin  knickerbockers,  and  seal- skin 
leggings  and  wooden  snow-shoes,  stopped  outside  the  building, 
and  began  to  summon  their  host. 

Lieut.  Koski  went  to  the  door ;  whereupon  the  man  raised 
his  hand  to  his  forehead,  and  said, — 

•'  My  sister  has  just  died,  and  I  want  Ippu  to  come  to  the 

funeral." 

"  There  are  foreigners 
here  with  me,"  said  the 
Russian.  "  Ippu  is  sta)ing 
in  his  deer-shed." 

The  man  again  saluted, 
then,  throwing  his  spear 
over  his  shoulder,  went  off 
to  find  his  friend. 

"  How  much  the  cos- 
tumes of  these  men  resem- 
ble those  of  the  old  Japan- 
ese archers  !  "  said  Professor 
Jewett.  "  I  suppose  both 
were  copied  from  the  an- 
cient Tartar  dress." 

"  Wh}-  does   he   carry  a 
spear  in  his  hand,  and  have 
a  reed  mat  and  some  6odfish  upon  his  back  ? "  asked  vSallie. 

"  He  requires  the  weapon  to  defend  himself  against  the 
bears,"  replied  the  Russian.  "  Sometimes,  when  the  wind 
blows  very  high,  these  men  have  to  camp  out  in  the  woods ; 
when  they  make  a  tent-pole  of  their  spear,  and,  covering  It  with 
a  mat,  crawl  under  it,  and  go  to  sleep.  They  use  the  dried 
fish  as  we  do  l^read." 


BAD  NEWS. 


AMONG   THE   OROKO.  263 

The  storm  did  not  abate  much  during  the  day,  so  the  trav- 
ellers contented  themselves  with  watching  the  dog-sleighs  pass 
and  repass.  The  animals  evidently  knew  the  hut  contained 
strangers ;  for  they  invariably  stopped  in  front  of  the  door,  and 
refused  to  go  until  they  had  satisfied  their  curiosity  by  gazing 
on  the  new-comers. 

One  sled,  drawn  by  six  dogs,  was  delayed  for  over  half  an 
hour,  and  afforded  great  amusement  to  the  young  people. 

The  man  who  drove  the  team  was  a  powerfully  built  Oroko, 
and  so  enveloped  in  bearskins  that  Fitz  named  him  Capt.  Boyn- 
ton,  whom  he  somewhat  resembled.  He  steered  the  sled  by  a 
dexterous  use  of  his  snow-shoes,  and  a  staff  pointed  with 
copper,  and  managed  the  dogs  with  a  single  hide-rope  which 
he  held  in  his  right  hand.  His  vehicle  was  laden  with  four 
skins  of  fish-oil,  the  odor  of  which  was  perceptible  in  the  hut. 

After  a  while  the  man  became  very  angry,  and  abused  his 
dogs  in  a  shrill  falsetto  ;  whereupon  they  suddenly  swerved  to 
the  right,  threw  him  upon  the  snow,  and  set  off  homeward  as 
hard  as  they  could  run. 

The  spectators  laughed  until  the  tears  ran  down  their 
cheeks  ;  for  instead  of  rising,  and  following  his  dogs,  the  fellow 
sat  up  on  the  snow,  and  howled  like  a  child. 

"  His  is  not  the  Aino  whine,"  said  Johnnie.  "I  do  not 
believe  our  friends  in  Yezo  would  be  guilty  of  such  babyish 
behavior." 

Presently  the  man  uttered  a  prolonged  bark,  then  rose, 
adjusted  his  foot-gear,  and  started  in  pursuit  of  his  dogs. 

The  fall  continued  until  about  five  o'clock,  when  the  boys 
put  on  native  snow-shoes,  and  went^out  to  reconnoitre. 

There  was  one  underground  dwelling  in  the  village  ;  and. 
as  it  was    covered  with   snow,  the    young  Americans    had    an 


AMONG   THE   OROKO.  265 

opportunity  of  understanding  why  it  was  built  in  that  peculiar 
manner. 

"1  comprehend,"  remarked  Johnnie:  "by  partly  sinking 
their  dwellings,  they  are  enabled  to  keep  them  very  warm,  and 
at  the  same  time  to  obtain  ventilation." 

"The  structures  that  are  entirely  built  above  ground  are 
exceedingly  cold,  and  are  more  liable  to  be  blocked  with  snow, 
than  these,"  said  the  lieutenant. 

"  I  would  not  like  to  live  up  here,"  said  Fitz.  "  Just 
imagine  burrowing  like  bears  during  six  months  in  the  year. 
How  sad  it  must  be  for  the  Russian  exiles !  " 

The  lieutenant  smiled  at  this,  and  said,  — 

"They  are  nearly  all  underground  during  the  winter: 
besides,  they  have  their  minds  and  bodies  employed,  and  are 
better  oft  than  many  people  in  Russia.  As  to  the  natives,  if 
this  snow  continues,  there  will  not  be  an  Oroko  here  in  a  week. 
They  will  close  their  huts,  and  migrate.  The  winter  to  them  is 
what  the  summer  is  to  us." 

That  evening  the  travellers  sat  round  the  fire,  and  lis- 
tened to  Lieut.  Koski's  stories  of  Russian  life ;  then,  when 
the  Professor  announced  it  was  past  midnight,  retired  to  their 
mats. 

About  six  o'clock  the  next  morning  Fitz  called  out,  — 

"  I  do  not  know  how  you  are,  but  1  am  unpleasantly  warm." 

"So  am  I,"  answered  his  father,  who  had  been  lying  awake 
for  some  time.  "  Another  hot  wave  has  ascended  from  the 
south,  and  will  soon  melt  the  snow." 

The  boy  went  to  the  door,  and,  pulling  aside  the  mat, 
glanced  out,  and  said.  — 

"  It  has  already  vanished.  The  rain  is  coming  down,  and 
the  ground  looks  like  a  sponge." 


266 


THE  BEAR -WORSHIPPERS   OF  YEZO. 


After  the  party  had  breakfasted,  Ippu  called  upon  them,  and 
said,  — 

"Would  you  care  to  see  the  funeral?" 

"  Thank  you,"  answered  the  Professor.     "  We  should  very 
much  like  to  be  present." 

"Then,  please  come  with  me." 

Lieut.   Koski,  who  had  been  out  watching  for  the  arrival 

of   the    ship,    said    to    his 
friends,  — 

"If  you  take  my  ad- 
vice, you  will  remove  your 
boots  and  stockings,  and 
roll  up  your  pants  over 
your  knees,  then  put  on 
the  native  sandals.  The 
ground  is  just  like  a  pud- 
ding, and  in  some  places 
is  a  deep  bog." 

Ippu  told  them  to  take 
the  fishing- spears  for 
poles,    and,    if    they    felt 
themselves  sinking  deep- 
ly, to  call  to  him  at  once. 
They  walked  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile,  then  arrived  at 
a  little  valley,  scattered  about  which  were  some  curious  monu- 
ments, made  of  wood. 

"These  are  the  women's  tombs,"  said   their  guide.     "The 

Orokos  can  tell,  by  the  decoration  on  the  horizontal  piece,  the 

name  of  the  person  to  whose  memory  the  monument  is  erected." 

"How  can    they  do   that  when    they  have    no   alphabet?" 

inquired  Johnnie. 


WOMAN'S    MONUMENT. 


AMONG   THE    OROKO.  267 

"  Of  course  the  signs  are  arbitrary,"  was  the  reply. 

"  I  understand,"  answered  the  lad.  "It  is  like  an  old  man 
who  used  to  sell  fish  in  our  place.  He  made  one  wriggle  for 
our  name,  and  two  for  our  neighbor's,  and  so  on.  But  when  he 
died  nobody  could  unravel  his  accounts,  so  they  adjudged  him 
a  bankrupt." 

The  Russian  smiled  at  this,  and  remarked.  — 

"  We  have  just  such  characters  in  my  native  place.  The 
world  is  very,  much  alike,  all  over." 

While  they  were  chatting,  a  procession  approached,  bearing 
the  body  of  the  woman. 

No  one  displayed  any  very  great  grief,  nor  was  there  any 
exhibition  of  indifference.  They  moved  in  and  out  among  the 
tombs  until  they  reached  a  shallow  grave,  where  they  halted  : 
then  the  chief  gave  the  order,  the  body  was  interred  with- 
out any  words  being  spoken,  and  the  Orokos  moved  quickly 
away,  as  though  in  a  hurry  to  quit  the  spot. 

"The  men  are  never  buried,"  said  their  guide.  "Some- 
times they  are  placed  In  a  coffin,  which  is  deposited  up  in  a 
niche  in  the  mountains ;  but,  as  a  rule,  they  are  exposed  in 
some  out-of-the-wa)-  place,  and  are  gradually  absorbed  by  the 
elements." 

"What  is  their  marriage-ceremony  like?"  -said  the  Pro- 
fessor. 

"  It  resembles  that  of  the  Ainos  of  Yczo,"  replied  their 
friend.  "There  are  a  number  of  Russian  papas''  (priests)  "  in 
this  island,  and  I  suppose  half  of  the  five  tribes  have  been 
baptized  ;  but  I  do  not  think  any  of  the  converts  understand 
the  nature  of  the  ceremony." 

"  I  should  imagine  not,"  said  the  Professor.  "  Although 
the    Samelenko,    Santan,    Colletske.    and     Oroko    tribes    have 


268  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF  YEZO. 

sufficient  intelligence  to  satisfy  their  bodily  wants,  their  mental 
capacity  is  comparatively  undeveloped." 

"That  is  why  my  nation  has  such  contempt  for  them,"  said 
Oto.  "  I  have  been  studying  these  people  very  closely,  and 
believe,  with  their  splendid  cranial  development,  they  could  be 
taught  almost  any  thing.  They  have,  for  centuries,  been  de- 
prived of  all  opportunity  of  acquiring  what  we  call  knowledge, 
spite  of  which  they  have  not  degenerated  into  brutality.  Of 
the  five  tribes,  I  prefer  the  Aino ;  they,  in  my  opinion,  being 
the  purer  race.  One  of  the  most  .emarkable  facts  concern- 
ing them  is  their  strong  resemblance  to  the  aborigines  of 
Australia." 

Fitz,  who  had  listened  with  the  utmost  gravity,  clapped  his 
hands,  and  said,  — 

"  Bravo !  Professor  Nambo,  you  ought  to  be  engaged  by  the 
lecture-bureau  at  Cromlech.  They  will  give  you  chalk  and  a 
blackboard  ;  and  you  can  dance  about  the  platform,  and  astonish 
folks  with  your  wonderful  diagrams.  I  reckon  you  would  make 
your  fortune  in  two  or  three  years." 

Oto  laughed,  and  the  lieutenant  said,  — 

"  I  do  not  think  there  is  any  thing  more  to  interest  us  in 
this  spot." 

"  That  is  so,"  laughingly  responded  Johnnie.  "  The  inscrip- 
tions on  the  tombstones  are  not  very  amusing  reading." 

"  Let  us  take  a  walk  on  the  shore,"  suggested  their  father. 

"  It  is  more  like  wadinor,  sir,"  said  Fitz.  "  I  thought  the 
section  about  Ishikari  Mountain  was  rather  pulpy,  but  this  is 
the  land  of  mush." 

"  I  wish  it  were  a  land  of  mush  and  milk,"  said  his  brother. 

"  I  never  saw  such  a  fellow  as  you  are  to  grumble,  Johnnie 
Jewett,"  said  Fitz. 


AJ/OSG    THE    OROKO.  269 

"Well,  brother,  I  think  that  remark  is  amusing  from  you," 
retorted  Johnnie.  "  We  have  heard  nothing-  but  your  growls 
ever  since  we  started." 

"Why,  Johnnie,  1  only  objected  to  getting  up  at  uncivilized 
hours,"  was  the  laughing  response.  "  I  do  not  remember  ever 
having  complained  ;  do  you,  father?" 

"  I  would  rather  not  express  my  opinion,"  answered  the 
Professor.  "  I  am  wondering  how  long  we  shall  be  doomed  to 
remain  in  this  place.  Now  this  warm  spell  has  come,  it  may  be 
very  unhealthy." 

The  mud  was  something  appalling,  and  so  greasy  that  the 
natives  continued  to  use  their  sleds  exactly  as  though  the 
ground  were  still  covered  with  snow. 

When  the  travellers  reached  the  shore,  they  found  three 
men  busily  engaged  loading  a  sled  with  dried  fish. 

"  Where  are  they  going?  "  inquired  Fitz. 

"Across  the  mountains  to  Wakee,"  said  the  lieutenant. 
"  They  can  sled  over  this  mud,  and  get  their  mats  of  fish  on 
to  the  other  side  of  the  island,  before  the  deep  snows  set  in." 

"  What  will  they  do  with  it  ?  "  asked  Johnnie. 

"Take  it  across  to  Tartary,"  was  the  reply.  "Some  of  this 
fish  finds  its  way  into  the  heart  of  China." 

"  How  are  they  paid  for  it  ? " 

"  In  brass  ornaments,  scrap-iron,  and  the  other  things  which 
these  people  value.  Each  sled  will  carry  eight  mats  of  fish, 
and  a  driver ;  and,  upon  an  average,  the  dogs  will  run  twenty 
miles  a  day." 

Fitz,  who  had  attentively  watched  the  men,  whistled  in  a 
peculiar  fashion,  and  whispered  to  his  father,  — 

"  I  have  made  a  discovery,  sir.  These  Orokos  are  one  of 
the  lost  tribes  of  Israel.     Look  at  their  noses." 


270  THE  BEAK-WORSHIPPERS    OE    YEZO. 

The  Professor  shook  his  head  reprovingly,  but  could  not 
avoid  smiling". 

They  watched  the  natives  catch  a  dog,  that  was  evidently 
unwilling  to  be  harnessed  to  the  sled,  and  which  was  dragged 
along  to  the  hitching-post  as  a  nurse  drags  an  unruly  child. 

The  men  were  some  time  packing  the  vehicle,  and  starting 
the  team :  however,  it  finally  got  away,  and  went  gliding 
through  the  mud  at  a  rapid  pace. 

As  the  party  saw  it  disappear,  one  of  the  Oroko  pointed 
dowm  the  bay,  and  said,  — 

"  There  is  the  ship  ! " 

"Good  news,  good  news!"  shouted  the  boys;  then  they 
waded  back  to  Ippu's  hut.  and  communicated  the  intelligence 
to  Mrs.  Jewett. 

An  hour  afterwards  they  w^ere  once  more  on  board  the 
man-of-war,  and  were  steaming  down  the  coast  for  Chika- 
hiroshi  Bay. 


272  THE  BEAR-WORSHJPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


CHAPIHR   XV. 

ADIEU    TO   KAKAKUTO. 
"The  discarded  pottery  of  a  nation  is  often  tJie  only  record  of  its  existence^'' 

THE  man-of-war  touched  at  Wencotan,  Nui,  Kun,  and 
Kukina,  at  which  place  they  saw  the  last  of  the  Oroko 
tribe.  Then  they  steamed  round  the  cape  of  Sinpu-shiritoco, 
and  ran  westward  across  Chika-hiroshi  Bay  to  Horono,  one  of 
the  two  famous  mountains  of  Karafuto. 

As  they  sighted  the  towering  peak,  they  noticed  that  only 
its  summit  was  covered  with  snow,  which  made  the  pinnacles 
resemble  gigantic  stalagmites. 

The  temperature,  which  in  latitude  fifty-one  had  been  low 
enough  to  be  exceedingly  unpleasant,  was  here  quite  high. 
This  determined  the  travellers  to  remain  a  day  or  two,  and  see 
something  more  of  the  Ainos  of  Karafuto. 

Col.  Goshkoff,  the  Russian  officer  in  charge  of  the  convict 
establishment  at  Horotoki,  the  town  at  the  base  of  the  moun- 
tain, came  off  to  the  ship  to  welcome  them.  He  was  a  very 
hospitable  gentleman,  who  had  once  been  ?.ttached  to  the  lega- 
tion at  Washington,  and  was  therefore  exceedingly  pleased  to 
see  any  one  from  the  States. 

He  begged  them  to  stay  with  him,  and  told  the  Professor 
that  a  wonderful  piece  of  old  pottery  had  recently  been  dis- 
covered by  some  Ainos  who  were  prospecting  on  the  mountain 
side. 


ADIEU  TO  KARAFUTO. 


273 


"You  really  must  come  on  shore  with  me,"  he  said.  "I 
have  a  larg^e  house ;  and  my  wife,  who  accompanied  me  to 
America,  will  be  delighted  to  entertain  you.  My  boat  is  along- 
side, and  you  only  have  to  enter  it." 

The  Professor  accepted  the  invitation  ;  and  the  travellers 
were  rowed  on  shore  in  a  Russian  launch,  manned  by  thirty 
convicts. 

The  first  sight  that  greeted  them  on  landing  was  two  AInos, 
p  e  r  f o  r  m  i  n  g  oiiri.  They 
were  dressed  somewhat  dif- 
ferently from  the  Yezo-jin, 
wore  skin  -  robes  trimmed 
with  brass  ornaments,  and 
had  a  wheel  pattern  em- 
broidered on  each  shoul- 
der, but  otherwise  were 
very  much  like  their  breth- 
ren on  the  next  island. 

"  I  wonder  what  the 
decoration  upon  that  man's 
robe  means,"  said  the  Professor.     "  It  is  a  very  ancient  design." 

"  I  should  think  it  is  an  advertisement  for  fireworks,"  said 
Fitz.  "  We  used  to  see  it  on  the  papers  of  the  crackers  we 
burnt  on  the  Fourth  of  July." 

"  Your  son  is  right,"  said  the  colonel.  "  On  the  last 
anniversary  of  the  emperor's  birthday,  I  burnt  some  fire- 
works, the  wrappers  of  which  were  eagerl)-  appropriated  by 
the  Ainos,  who  have  since  used  the  trade-mark  as  a  decora- 
tion for  their  robes." 

"That  only  confirms  my  theory,"  said  the  Professor.  "All 
the  Chinese  forms  are  of  great  antiquity." 


KARAFUTO    AINOS'    OUR). 


2  74  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

They  left  the  Ainos  holdnig  each  other's  hands,  and  weeping 
like  children. 

Mrs.  Goshkoff  proved  to  be  a  very  charming  lady ;  and  her 
establishment,  being  kept  in  pure  Russian  style,  was  most  inter- 
estinof  to  the  Americans. 

"  It  is  dreadful  to  be  exiled  here,"  she  said.  "  I  have  not  a 
soul  to  speak  to  but  my  husband  ;  for  one  cannot  associate  with 
the  prisoners,  though  we  have  many  gentlemen  and  ladies 
among  them." 

"  Why  cannot  you  ?  "  said  Fitz.  "  I  should  think  it  would 
be  better  than  the  monotony  you  complain  of." 

"It  is  against  the  regulations,"  was  the  response.  "The 
colonel  stationed  here  before  my  husband,  had  charge  of  his 
own  brother,  who  was  condemned  to  perpetual  exile.  Of 
course,  when  the  authorities  discovered  this,  they  recalled  the 
officer." 

"  How  do  you  amuse  yourself  during  the  long  winter  ? " 
asked  Sallie. 

"  I  superintend  the  house,  and  study  the  customs  of  the 
Ainos,"  replied  the  lady.  "  I  also  paint  a  little.  That,"  point- 
ing to  the  wall,  "  represents  Konac,  our  chief  hunter,  killing  a 
seal  on  the  ice.     I  witnessed  the  scene  last  winter." 

"  Why  does  he  have  a  crooked  spear?"  asked  Johnnie. 

"  It  enables  him  to  use  it  under  the  ice,"  replied  the  lady. 
"  Konac  is  a  very  faithful  creature,  and  has  secured  me  quite  a 
number  of  skins." 

"  He  is  well  wrapped  up,  is  he  not?"  said  Fitz,  adding  in  a 
musing  tone,  "  How  much  do  you  pay  him  for  each  skin  ? " 

"  Nothing,"  answered  the  lady :  "  those  people  think  it  is 
quite  enough  honor  if  we  condescend  to  accept  their  presents." 

Fortunately  dinner  was  announced,  or  there  is  no  knowing 


ADIEU  TO  KARAFUTO. 


275 


what  remark  Fitz  might  have  made.  He  had  been  brought  up 
with  sound  notions  about  right  and  wrong,  and  did  not  under- 
stand the  pecuHar  kindness  that  prompted  a  civiUzed  lady  to 
accept  furs  from  a  savage  ignorant  of  their  value. 

It  was  very  amusing  to  hear  the  colonel's  wife  inquiring  of 
Mrs.  Jewett  and  Sallie  about  the  latest  fashions  in  New  York, 


SPEARING    A    SEAL. 


and  to  listen  to  her  husband's  utterances  of  admiration  of 
our  freedom  ;  similar  liberal  expressions  of  sentiment  having 
caused  the  exile  of  many  of  the  prisoners  under  his  charge. 
When  the  travellers  were  retiringr,  he  said, — 
"  To-morrow  we  will  hunt  a  bear,  reported  to  be  near  by.  in 
the  mountains ;  then  we  can  visit  the  native  who  has  that 
curious  piece  of  pottery." 

The  party  started  at  daybreak,  and  travelled  in  some  of  the 


276 


THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


wildest  scenery  they  had  yet  met  with  ;   the    ladies  of  coui;se 
remaining  at  home. 

"  It  is  a  little  moist  here,"  said  the  colonel,  as  they  followed 
the  Aino  guides  up  a  caiion,  through  which  a  torrent  rushed 
with  great  impetuosity.  "There  are  no  roads,  to  speak  of;  and 
when  you  go  hunting,  you  have  to  travel  like  the  Ainos." 


ASCENDING    HORONOBORl. 


The  mosquitoes  were  in  clouds,  and  of  a  greater  variety 
than  the  wanderers  had  ever  before  encountered  ;  in  spite  of 
which  no  one  complained,  but  jumped  from  stone  to  stone,  and, 
after  a  weary  tramp,  reached  a  level  plateau,  covered  with  a 
very  fine  growth  of  timber.  They  also  saw  gigantic  specimens 
of  the  bekonoshita  (mammoth  dock). 

"  We  call  it  akita-bukiy'  said  Oto ;  "  but  I  never  saw  such 
enormous  ones  as  these  in  my  country." 


ADIEU  TO  KARAFUTO.  277 

"  Why  is  this  tree  barked  in  places?"  said  Fitz.  "I  have 
noticed  the  same  thing  on  a  trunk,  a  Httle  lower  down." 

"That  is  scratched  during-  the  winter  by  the  bears.  The 
Ainos  assert  that  they  do  it  in  order  to  know  their  way  when 
the  ground  is  covered  with  snow.  But  that  is  absurd  :  they, 
Lke  all  clawed  animals,  scratch  bark  or  any  similar  substance 
in  order  to  sharpen  their  nails." 

"Yes,"  said  Fitz  with  a  nod,  "I  have  seen  our  cat,  Kitt)- 
Spot,  doing  the  same  thing." 

When  they  arrived  at  the  place  where  they  expected  to 
find  the  bear,  they  saw  an  old  Aino  hunter  seated  on  the 
ground,  discharging  arrows  at  a  very  high  tree.  Every  time 
he  drew  his  bow,  he  muttered  something. 

"  I  do  not  see  any  bear  up  there,"  remarked  Fitz. 

"  That  tree  is  regarded  as  sacred,"  said  the  colonel.  "Do 
you  not  notice  how  the  top  branches  are  studded  with  barbs 
of  arrows  ?  Sometimes  the  Aincs  come  out  here  in  great 
numbers  to  shoot." 

"A  kind  of  target-part)-,"  suggested  Fitz.  "You  have 
seen  them  in  the  States,  have  you  not,  colonel?  —  a  lot  of  men 
in  red  shirts,  Derby  hats,  mammoth  gloves,  and  antediluvian 
pants,  marching  in  bad  order,  under  a  broiling  sun^  with  a 
colored  boy  in  the  rear  carrying  a  target,  and  three  mem- 
bers bearing  tin-plated  casters  for  the  first,  second,  and  third 
prizes." 

"That  is  a  very  graphic  description,"  said  their  amused 
host.  "  I  have  often  seen  them,  and  wondered  what  enjoyment 
there  could  be  in  their  parade.  This  chito-katmushi  is  about 
the  same  thing." 

"So  the  natives  have  a  name  for  it,  do  they?"  answered 
the  boy. 


2/8  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

"Yes,"  was  the  reply:  '' cJiito  means  shoot,  and  kamiushi 
hit." 

"  Suppose  they  miss?"  said  Johnnie. 

"  Then  they  fire  until  they  strike  the  tree.  They  will  select 
a  pine  or  a  willow,  and  will  discharge  their  arrows  at  it  until  the 
top  is  cut  all  to  pieces.  The  frost  generally  kills  it ;  and,  if 
the  tree  survives  the  first  winter,  it  becomes  stunted  and 
malformed." 

"I  have  noticed  such  objects  in  Yezo,"  said  Oto.  "There 
the  Ainos  cover  them  with  inaho.  If  one  of  their  arrows  hits 
the  tree,  they  call  themselves  champion  marksmen." 

The  Aino,  who  had  been  thus  amusing  himself,  rose,  and, 
after  grac -fully  saluting  the  colonel,  said, — 

"  It  is  sad  to  have  to  communicate  bad  intelligence.  The 
bear  was  tired  of  waiting  here,  and  has  gone  off  to  rejoin  his 
family." 

This  speech  afforded  the  Americans  great  amusement,  the 
Aino  having  delivered  it  with  the  utmost  gravity. 

"  I  do  not  imagine  we  shall  have  any  sport,"  remarked  the 
colonel.  "  Would  you  like  to  call  on  Choko,  the  man  who  has 
the  old  piece  of  jDOttery  ?  " 

"With  pleasure,"  said  the  Professor.  "Much  as  I  enjoy 
the  chase,  I  greatly  prefer  to  hunt  for  curios.  Where  was  this 
piece  found  ? " 

"  I  do  not  know  much  about  it,"  was  the  reply.  "  Some  of 
the  Ainos  say,  at  Kushunai ;  and  others,  that  it  was  dug  up  in 
what  they  call  the  Taiko  district.  The  old  fellow  who  owns  it 
is  quite  a  character,  and  will  afford  your  boys  some  amusement. 
His  hut  is  three-quarters  of  a  mile  from  here." 

The  party  reached  the  place  about  noon,  and  found  Choko 
sunning  himself  outside  his  dwelling.      He  was  very  old,  and 


ADIEU  TO  KARAFUTO.  279 

had  a  natural  dignity  that  commanded  the  respect  of  his 
visitors,  and  prevented  even  the  mirth-loving  Fitz  from  joking. 

He  saluted  the  new-comers  gravely,  and,  upon  being 
informed  that  they  desired  to  see  his  treasure,  said, — 

"  In  the  ancient  times  there  was  a  woman  who  lived  near 
the  mountain  road  called  Inao-karusi.  She  was  a  very  able 
person,  and  understood  more  than  any  other  female  since  the 
time  that  the  gfods  lived  on  the  earth.  Her  thou^rhts  were 
very  deep,  and  she  desired  to  benefit  the  Ainos.  Inao-karusi 
is  one  mile  from  the  river  Hase-bets,  which  place  was  cele- 
brated as  the  residence  of  a  god  who  dwelt  by  the  side  of  a 
weeping-willow  tree.  The  old  woman,  who  was  called  Taiko, 
from  the  district  in  which  she  was  born,  discovered  how  to 
make  earthen  pots,  and  to  burn  them,  so  that  they  would  hold 
water.  After  many  trials  she  produced  some  beautiful  speci- 
mens, most  of  which  were  seven  inches  wide,  three  and  a 
half  deep,  and  half  an  inch  thick.  These  could  be  put  on 
the  fire,  and  were  twice  as  serviceable  as  the  stone  vessels 
then  in  use.  When  she  had  instructed  the  Ainos  on  the 
eastern  coast  how  to  make  the  vessels,  she  tied  a  pot  in  a 
cloth,  and,  securing  it  over  her  shoulders,  started  for  this  place. 
Upon  reaching  the  base  of  Horonobori  she  stumbled,  fell,  and 
broke  her  treasure  all  to  pieces.  This  misfortune  preyed  upon 
her  mind  :  she  became  sick,  and  died,  leaving  directions  that 
the  fragments  of  the  pot  should  be  buried  w-ith  her." 

"Why  didn't  she  set  to  work,  and  make  another  one?" 
whispered  Fitz  to  the  colonel,  who  was  interpreting.  "It 
strikes  me  that  the  original  inventor  would  not  have  worried 
over  losing  one  specimen.  She  w'ould  have  collected  some 
clay,  built  a  fire,  and  have  made  another  pot  before  you  could 
say  Wmk. 


28o  THE  BEAR -WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

Col.  Goshkoff  smiled,  then  continued  his  interpretation, 
sa)"ing,  — 

"  Ever  since  she  was  buried,  the  weeping- willow  has  been 
regarded  as  a  god,  the  people  believing  that  her  spirit  inhabits 
it.  In  the  old  times  we  used  to  make  inaJio ;  but  since  the 
change,  the  batzu  "  (Greek  priests)  "  have  forbidden  us  to  cut 
those  things." 

"That  is  very  sensible  of  the  priests,"  said  Fitz.  "The 
Ainos  of  Yezo  waste  two-thirds  of  their  time  in  making  inahoy 
and  neglect  every  thing  in  order  to  whittle  a  stick  into  shavings. 
I  think  these  Karafuto  men  are  smart." 

The  man  listened  gravely,  and,  when  this  was  translated  to 
him,  said,  — 

"  Young  gentleman  from  afar,  you  are  right.  Usually  the 
words  of  children  have  very  little  weight,  they  being  mere 
foolishness.     Would  you  like  to  see  the  pot  ? " 

On  being  informed  that  was  the  purpose  for  which  the 
visitors  had  come,  he  retired  into  his  hut,  and  presently  re- 
turned carrying  a  lacquer  box,  such  as  his  people  use  for  hold- 
ing something  they  highly  esteem.  He  was  as  bald  as  an  ^'g^, 
his  forehead  was  corduroyed  with  wrinkles,  his  eyes  dim  and 
half  closed,  and  his  face  weazened  like  a  monkey,  while  his 
hands  were  so  begrimed  and  bony  that  they  strongly  resembled 
birds'-claws. 

He  bowed  first  to  the  colonel,  and  then  to  his  foreign 
guests,  after  which  he  placed  his  treasure  upon  the  ground, 
and,  taking  off  the  lid  of  the  box,  revealed  an  article  tied  up 
in  a  w^added  silk  bae. 

"  Sallie  ought  to  be  here,"  murmured  Fitz.  "  He  is  going 
to  show  us  some  valuable  old  pottery  infant,  worth  a  small 
fortune." 


ADIEU  TO   KARAFUTO. 


2«i 


Choko  slowly  undid  the  fastenings,  then  produced  his 
treasure,  which,  when  he  had  caressed  and  rubbed,  he  handed 
to  the  colonel,  who,  after  glancing  at  the  relic,  passed  it  to  the 
Professor. 

"This  is  an  archaic  object,"  murmured  that  gentleman. 
"  How  hard  and  stone-like  it  is !  What  an  exquisite  color ! 
how  perfect  in  shape  !  " 

"  Sallie  would  admire  to  see  that,"  said  Fitz  to  Oto.  "  She 
is  way  up  in  art-pottery  jargon.  She  would  go  crazy  over  that 
old  thingr.  It  would  be  too 
exquisitely  and  complete- 
ly precious,  too  supremely 
rare,  and  characteristically 
homely  !  She  would  tell, 
to    a    day,    when    it    was 


made,  and  give  you  a 
representation  of  the  old 
woman  squinting  at  it  af- 
ter she  had  completed  its 
manufacture.     She    is   an 

expert,  you  know,  and  would  term  that  wrinkled,  corrugated, 
rough,  common,  clumsy  amateur  attempt  at  pottery-making, 
'  art  boiled  down.'  " 

After  the  Professor  had  regarded  the  specimen  for  several 
moments,  he  said  to  the  colonel,  — 

"  How  these  fine  old  pieces  of  pottery  appeal  to  the  culti- 
vated mind  !  I  suppose  that  aged  man  would  never  part  with  such 
a  treasure.     Try  and  ascertain  if  he  has  any  idea  of  its  value." 

The  colonel  and  Choko  argued  for  some  time,  the  old 
gentleman  evidently  having  made  up  his  mind  to  a  certain 
price:  finally  the  colonel  said, — 


AINO    '•  POTTERY    INFANT.' 


282  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

"  This  fellow  knows  too  much.  He  says  he  wants  a  whole 
tub  of  sake,  and  will  not  take  less." 

The  Professor  mused  for  a  few  moments,  then  replied,  — 

"  I  am,  as  a  matter  of  principle,  opposed  to  giving  these 
people  sake,  or  any  thing  that  will  increase  their  craving  for 
stimulants.  However,  under  the  circumstances,  I  will  agree  to 
his  demand,  the  sacrifice  being  made  in  the  cause  of  science." 

The  next  day  the  old  man  came  down  to  Horotoki,  and, 
after  delivering  the  piece  of  pottery,  received  his  promised 
reward,  which  he,  with  the  characteristic  generosity  of  a  savage, 
proceeded  to  share  with  all  his  tribe. 

While  he  was  still  suffering  from  the  effects  of  his  potations, 
he  called  at  the  colonel's  house,  and,  when  that  eentleman  eave 
him  an  audience,  said, — 

"The  generosity  of  these  chiefs  from  afar  is  beyond  my 
power  to  describe :  it  is  as  overwhelming  as  a  rising  tide. 
Alas !  even  the  tide  has  to  ebb,  and  I  have  seen  the  bottom  of 
the  ^^7/r-tub.  Will  you  please  tell  the  generous  stranger,  if  he 
will  give  me  another  such  present.  I  will  make  him  a  finer 
piece  of  old  pottery  than  the  last?" 

Then  the  aged  rogue  laughed  until  the  tears  ran  down  his 
cheeks. 


DOWN  THE  EASTERN  COAST  OF   YEZO.  283 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

DOWN   THE   EASTERN    COAST   OF    VEZO. 

"  After  a  man  has  travelled  several  )nonths,  the  novelty  ceases  to  interest  him, 
a /id  he  turns  his  eyes  longiiis^ly  towards  home.'''' 

"  0/ie  cannot  always  live  on  honey.'''  —  Japanese  Proverb. 


1 


^HE  party  remained  nearly  a  week  at  Horotoki,  then, 
bidding  adieu  to  Col.  Goshkoff  and  his  wife,  steamed 
down  the  coast. 

On  the  second  day  they  touched  at  a  place  called  the  Fall 
of  Huroi,  an  outlet  of  Lake  Tonneicha,  a  large  body  of  fresh 
water,  situated  in  the  highlands  overlooking  the  ocean. 

"  I  shall  have  to  take  my  leave  of  you  here,"  said  Lieut. 
Koski.  "  I  cannot  express  how  much  I  have  enjoyed  your 
societ)'.  I  hope  to  some  day  meet  you  again,  and  to  renew 
your  very  delightful  acquaintance." 

"  I  am  awfully  sorr)'  we  are  obliged  to  part,"  said  Fitz. 
"We  shall  often  think  of  you  out  here  in  the  wilds.  Can  we 
not  send  you  some  papers  and  magazines  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  know  whether  they  would  reach  me,"  he 
answered.  "We  seldom  hold  communication  with  Japap,  and 
all  our  mails  come  through  Siberia.  I  expect  my  term  of 
service  will  expire  next  year,  when  I  shall  be  allowed  a  iur- 
lough,  and,  if  I  am  not  blown  to  pieces  by  the  Nihilists,  shall 
probably  visit  the  States." 

"You  will  fmd  us  at  home,"  said  the  Professor ;  "  and  I  need 
scarcely  say,  you  will  have  a  heart}-  welcome." 


284 


THE  BEAR -WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


They  landed  with  him  ;  and  the  last  they  saw  of  their  friend 
was  as  he  stood,  with  his  Aino  servant,  on  a  rocky  plateau  near 
the  waterfall,  with  his  gun  upon  his  shoulder,  watching  them, 
as  they  were  rowed  back  to  the  ship. 

The  man-of-war  steamed  directly  for  So}a,  and,  after  taking 


HUROI,    SOUTH-EAST    COAST   OF    KARAFUTO. 


in  a  supply  of  fresh  water,  proceeded  down  the  eastern  coast 
of  Yezo  to  Yesashi,  where  the  travellers  went  on  shore. 

Oto  discovered  an  old  friend  in  the  Japanese  officer  of  the 
Kaitakushi,  who  was  endeavorincr  to  make  aofriculturists  of 
the  Yezo-jin.  His  name  was  Kanaya ;  and,  having  been  edu- 
cated at  Yale,  he  was  really  overjoyed  to  once  more  meet 
Americans. 

"  I  am  engaged  upon  a  kind  of  missionary  work,"  he  laugh- 
ingly  remarked    to    the    Professor.      "The    Yezo-jin    are    like 


DOWN  THE  EASTERN  COAST  OF   VEZO.  285 

children.  They  begin  very  dihgently,  break  up  die  ground, 
and  plant  it  just  as  I  teach  them  ;  but  in  two  or  three  days  their 
curiosity  gets  the  better  of  them,  and  they  dig  up  the  seeds  to 
ascertain  their  progress.  I  think  that  shows  how  impossible  it 
is  to  do  any  thing  with  them." 

Fitz  chuckled,  and  said,  — 

"  Well,  if  such  an  act  indicates  lack  of  intelligence,  I  am 
afraid  that  I  must  be  very  little  better  than  your  pupils." 

"  And  I,"  said  Sallie. 

"  I  believe  such  curiosity  is  an  inherent  weakness  of  human 
nature,"  said  the  Professor.  "  Even  scientific  men  will  some- 
times unearth  a  seed  in  order  to  see  how  its  grermination  is 
developing." 

Fitz  nodded  assent,  and  said  very  gravely,  — 

"  Yes,  we  all  do  it." 

This  made  Mr.  Kanaya  laugh,  and  say, — 

"Well,  sir,  and  pray  of  what  science  are  you  the  pro- 
fessor ?  " 

"  Of  fun,"  said  Johnnie.  "  He  enjoys  it  more  than  any  boy 
I  know." 

"Well,  my  larks  never  did  anybody  harm,"  remarked  the 
merry  fellow.  "You  know  what  mother  says,  —  it  is  better  to 
laugh  than  to  cry." 

The  Professor  was  about  to  make  one  of  his  characteristic 
speeches,  when  his  wife  whispered  to  him, — 

"  Do  not  lecture,  pa :  you  must  save  yourself  for  your 
winter  course." 

The  gentleman  took  the  hint,  and  said,  — 

"  Mr.  Kanaya,  I  can  quite  sympathize  with  you,  for  I  have 
had  to  instruct  young  Americans  who  were  just  as  inquisitive 
as  your  Yezo-jin.     By  the  way,  do  you  think  you  could  commu- 


286 


THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


nicate  with  old  Poro  Parumbe,  one  of  the  chiefs  who  conducted 
us  from  Hokuyak-bets  ?     I  beHeve  we  are  in  his  district." 

"  Poor  old  man  !  "  said  Mr.  Kanaya,  "  I  have  bad  news  to  tell 
you  about  him.  When  he  reached  home,  he  shared  the  cask  of 
sugar  you   gave   him,  between   Kure  Kina,  Taiki  Kamoi-yashi, 


PORO    PARUMBE'S    CANDY-PULL. 


and  Setta-eye,  and  gave  a  big  feast  to  his  tribe.  He  placed  his 
portion  of  the  sugar  in  an  iron  pan,  and  boiled  it  into  candy,' 
which  I  instructed  them  how  to  pull.  The  result  was.  he  ate 
too  much,  and  died  the  next  day." 

"What  a  sweet  ending!"  said  Fitz.  "Guess  he  was  not 
used  to  taffy." 

"  Do  not  jest  upon  such  a  solemn  subject,"  said  his  father, 


DOWN  THE  EASTERN  COAST  OF   YEZO.  287 

who  imagined,  from  the  boy's  twinkHng  eyes,  that  he  was  about 
to  further  express  his  opinion.  "  No  doubt,  the  late  chief's 
relatives  felt  grieved  at  his  untimely  decease." 

"  It  did  not  seem  to  trouble  them,"  said  Mr.  Kana)a.  "  As 
soon  as  the  old  fellow  was  buried,  the  tribe  assembled,  and 
elected  another  leader." 

"Yes,"  said  Fitz  to  Sallie.  "Do  you  remember,  when  Mr. 
Tony  Jones  the  selectman  died,  the  politicians  in  Cromlech 
wore  badges  bearing  the  legend,  'We  mourn  his  loss: 'then, 
when  the  funeral  was  over,  they  went  straight  to  the  Town  Hall, 
and  elected  George  Skinner  Flynt.  I  guess  human  nature  is 
about  the  same  everywhere.  But,  sis,  you  had  better  take 
warning  by  the  fate  of  Chief  Poro  Parumbe,  and  not  eat  too 
many  caramels." 

"  Do  not  talk  about  caramels,  Fitz,"  she  ansvv-ered :  "it 
makes  my  mouth  water." 

"  Well,  I'd  kinder  like  'to  interview  a  box,"  he  drawled. 
"  After  all,  there  is  no  place  like  the  States  ;  is  there,  Sallie  ? " 

"  No,  indeed,"  she  answered. 

"  As  our  old  guide  is  no  longer  living,  I  think  we  might  call 
upon  his  successor,"  said  the  Professor.  "  Does  he  reside  far 
from  here  ?  " 

"  Hokuyak  Namihu  is  a  great  hunter,"  answered  Mr. 
Kanaya.  "  He  is  constantly  on  the  move.  The  Ainos  are 
beginning  to  set  their  fox-traps,  and  the  chief  will  possibly  be 
down  at  Takoni-bets." 

They  camped  on  shore,  and,  at  daybreak  the  next  morning, 
started  in  boats.  Towards  noon  the  sun  became  ver)' hot :  so 
Mr.  Kana)a  landed,  and  cut  some  beckonishita  leaves  which  he 
distributed  to  his  guests.  As  the  Ainos  resumed  their  poling, 
the  official  made  an  awning  of  one  of  the  leaves ;  and  looked 


288 


THE  BEAR-WORSIIIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 


so  comical,  crouching  under  it,  that  Oto  made  a  sketch  of 
him. 

"  That  is  clever,"  said  Sallie.  "  You  can  almost  hear  Mr. 
Kanaya  saying  to  the  Aino,  '  Move  that  iron  kettle  off  those 
rice-bags :  I  do  not  want  the  latter  cut,  and  the  contents  spilt 
into  the  bottom  of  your  boat.'  " 

"  Look  at    that   bird !  "  cried    Fitz,  pointing  to  a  curiously 


USING    A    BECKONISHITA    LEAF. 


crested  species  of  hoopoe,  flying  overhead.  "  Is  it  not  a 
comical  creature  ?  " 

Johnnie,  who  carried  a  fowling-piece,  raised  his  weapon,  and 
fired  ;   his  prize  tumbling  right  into  the  bow  of  the  boat. 

"That  was  well  done,"  said  the  Professor.  "You  timed 
your  fire  with  mathematical  precision." 

"  Oh  !    that  was  only  a  fluke,  sir,"  said  Fitz. 

"  A  what  ? "  was  the  stern  query.  "  I  believe  a  fluke  is  that 
portion  of  an  anchor  which  secures  it  in  the  eround.  It  is 
also  a  term  applied  to  the  points  of  a  whale's  tail ;  and  to 
the  distoma  hepaticum,  a  parisitic  cotyloid  entozoon,  with  a  flat 


DOWN  THE  EASTERN  COAST  OF   YEZO. 


289 


lanceolate  body  and  two  suckers,  found  in  certain  organs  of 
the  ovis  aries,  or  common  sheep." 

"  I  did  not  speak  of  any  thing  as  scientific  as  that,  sir," 
said  Fitz.  "  The  fluke  I  referred  to  is  a  term  used  in  billiards, 
and  means  an  accidental  lucky  shot." 

"  I  never  play  billiards,"  replied  his  father. 

"  I  wish  you  would,"  said  Mrs.  Jewett.  "  It  would  be  a  good 
thing  for  you." 


YE20    HOOPOE. 


**  Here  we  are  at  our  destination,"  said  their  guide.  "  Now 
we  have  to  disembark,  and  be  carried  about  a  mile  by  the 
Yezo-jin  ;  the  road-bed  being  up  a  canon  that  is  now  full  of 
water." 

"  We  can  walk,"  said  Mrs.  Jewett ;  "  and  I  am  sure  the  gen- 
tlemen can." 

"  Certainly,"  added  her  husband.  "  We  shall,  no  doubt,  land 
upon  a  very  beautiful  plateau  after  we  get  through  this  pass." 


•90 


THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF  YEZO. 


Their  guide  \vas  amazed  at  the  way  the  Americans  con- 
trived to  jump  from  stone  to  stone,  and  he  said  he  did  not 
wonder  that  they  had  been  able  to  penetrate  through  the  heart 
of  Yezo.  At  the  last  turn  in  the  cailon,  they  beheld  a  curious 
overhanging  mass  of  granite,  which  looked  as  though  it  were 

about  to  fall  upon  them. 
"  That  is  like  Profile 
Rock  in  the  White  Moun- 
tains," remarked  Sallie. 
"  Whose  face  do  you 
think  it  resembles?" 

None  of  the  party 
guessed  the  same  per- 
son ;  and  at  last  Fitz, 
with  his  usual  smartness, 
exclaimed,  — 

"  Let  us  name  it  Old 
Time's  rock." 

"  Good !  "  cried  all  but 
Mr.  Kanaya,  who,  turning 
to  the  boy,  inquired,  — 

"Who  is  Old  Time? 

One    of  your  piominent 

men  : 

"  Yes :  he  has  been  before  the  public  a  great  many  years," 

was  the  ready  response  ;  "  and  nobody  seems  to  know  how  old 

he  is.     Some  say  four  or  five  thousand,  and  others  billions  of 

years." 

The  ofificial  gazed  at  the  boy  with  astonishment,  then 
observed,  — 

"  I  understood  that  he  was  an  old  man." 


OLD    TIME'S    ROCK. 


DOWN  THE   EASTERN  COAST  OF   YEZO.  29 1 

"  Oh !  he  is  like  your  Fukii-rokii-jin "  (one  of  the  seven 
gods),  —  "a  type  or  figure  of  speech,  an  ideal  person,  the 
embodiment  of  a  long  period  ;  and  is  generally  depicted  as  an 
aged  gentleman,  scantily  costumed  in  a  white  scarf,  carrying  a 
scythe  in  one  hand,  and  an  hour-glass  in  the  other.  We  do 
not  make  images  of  him,  and  worship  him  as  you  do  Fuku- 
roku-jin." 

*'  I  do  not  worship  that  god,"  gravely  answered  the 
Japanese.  "  I  thought  you  understood  that  we  regard  The 
Seven  Benevolent  Ones  very  much  as  you  do  Old  Time.  I 
now  comprehend  your  remark.  Time  measures  our  lives  with 
his  hour-glass,  and  cuts  them  short  with  his  scythe." 

"  Excuse  me,  Mr.  Kanaya,"  said  Fitz.  "  I  did  not  wish  to 
annoy  you;"  then,  pointing  ahead,  cried,  "Hullo!  see  that 
animal  with  its  head  in  a  bucket." 

As  he  spoke,  one  of  the  natives  rushed  forward,  and 
despatched  the  creature  wnth  a  club. 

"That  is  an  Aino  fox-trap,"  said  Mr.  Kanaya.  "The 
interior  of  the  bucket  is  studded  with  sharp  spikes  pointing 
downward  ;  and  the  trap  is  baited  with  seal-flesh,  of  which  the 
foxes  are  very  fond.  Once  the  creature  gets  its  head  well  in, 
he  cannot  withdraw  it ;  and  the  pain  makes  him  lose  all  his 
caution,  and  renders  him  a  very  easy  prey." 

"  I  call  it  a  mean  act,"  said  Sallie.  "  The  fox  does  not 
suspect  the  danger ;  and  when  he  is  blindfolded  the  Aino 
sneaks  up,  and  takes  advantage  of  the  poor  thing's  painful 
position." 

"Trapping  any  thing  is  an  underhand  way  of  hunting 
game,"  said  Johnnie.  "  It  is  a  great  deal  better  to  shoot  them, 
and  end  their  misery." 

"  Suppose   you   were    hungr}-,  and    had    no   gun    or   other 


292 


THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF  YEZO. 


weapon?"  queried  Fitz.     "I  do  not  believe,  under  those  cir- 
cumstances, even  you  or  Sallie  would  go  without  supper." 

"  Yes ;  but  they  will  not  eat  that  fox,"  retorted  his  brother. 

"  Oh.  yes,  they  will !  "  said  Fitz,  winking.     "  I  tell  you  there 


AINO    FOX-TRAP. 


Am  I   not  correct, 


will  not  be  a  morsel  of  it  left  to-morrow. 
Mr.  Kanaya  ? " 

"Quite,"  was  the  answer.  "The  Yezo-jin,  like  our  wres- 
tlers, are  very  partial  to  fox-meat." 

The  party  rested  at  a  spring,  and  had  luncheon,  while  some 
of  the  Ainos  went  in  search  of  Hokuyak  Namihu.  Before  the 
meal  was  over  they  returned,  and  delivered  a  long  message  to 


DOWN  THE   EASTERN  COASJ    OF   YEZO.  293 

their  employer,  who  appeared  exceedingly  annoyed  with  the 
communication. 

"What  is  the  difficulty?"  inquired  the  Professor. 

"Oh.  these  Ainos  are  nothing  better  than  animals!" 
answered  the  official.  "  My  man  tells  me  he  has  found  the 
chief;  and  that  the  latter,  instead  of  coming  to  us,  sa)s  he  is 
tired,  and  we  must  go  to  him." 

"  I  cannot  see  any  thing  very  unreasonable  in  his  request," 
answered  the  Professor.  "  As  chief  of  his  tribe,  he  expects  a 
certain  amount  of  respect ;  and  we,  being  intruders,  ought  to 
call  upon  him." 

This  remark  did  not  suit  Mr.  Kanaya,  who  exclaimed, — 

"  Indeed,  sir,  you  do  not  understand  my  position.  As  a 
representative  of  the  Kaita-kushi  of  the  Hokkaido,  I  cannot 
permit  such  insolence." 

"  Well,"  was  the  good-natured  response,  "  then  we  will  go 
alone." 

Mr.  Kanaya  soon  recovered  his  usual  good  temper,  and 
laughingly  remarked, — 

"  I  could  not  think  of  your  doing  that,  Professor.  The  fact 
is,  the  fellow  drinks  too  much  sake  :  so  I  thought  his  message 
might  have  been  the  result  of  his  excess.  After  all,  as  Confu- 
cius sa^'s,  one  loses  dignity  by  being  angry.  Come,  we  will 
proceed  to  visit  the  chief." 

They  found  Hokuyak  Namihu  in  a  hunting-tent,  something 
like  an  Indian  tcpce,  crouched  behind  a  fire,  and  giving  direc- 
tions to  one  of  his  people,  who  was  about  to  cut  up  a  deer  which 
was  placed  on  an  enormous  bcckonishita  leaf.  He  was  a  good 
specimen  of  the  Yezo-jin,  and  was  as  hairy  as  his  namesake. 

Upon  noticing  the  strangers,  he  rose,  bowed,  and  said  in  a 
very  gentle  voice,  — 


294  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

"  When  I  was  hunting  this  morning,  the  deer  kicked  me 
severely,  and  I  am  unable  to  walk:  please  excuse  my  not  going 
to  you  as  I  would  like  to  have  done." 


CHIEF    HOKUYAK    NAMIHU. 


"  I  am  sorry  that  I  was  hasty,"  said  the  young  official.  "  It 
never  does  to  place  too  implicit  confidence  in  a  verbal  commu- 
nication. We  Japanese  have  a  saying,  '  Two  mouths  will  distort 
the  meaning  of  any  message/  " 


DOWN  THE  EASTERN  COAST  OF   YEZO.  295 

The  chief  wilHngly  submitted  to  Oto's  examination. 

"  Three  of  his  ribs  arc  broken,"  said  the  young  doctor.  "It 
is  wonderful  how  these  Ainos  bear  pain.  Please  tell  him  he 
must  remain  quite  quiet  for  several  days,  and  not  lie  upon  the 
injured  side." 

"  You  ought  to  have  brought  some  of  )our  lionorable 
plasters,"  said  Fitz.     "  I  advised  )ou  to  do  so." 

The  doctor  smiled,  and  replied,  — 

"  To  tell  you  the  truth,  I  did ;  but  I  missed  them  when  we 
were  among  the  Colletske." 

"  Perhaps  the  natives  took  them  for  some  kind  of  preserved 
provisions,"  said  Fitz;  "or  they  may  have  kept  them  as 
charms." 

"  Possibly,"  said  Oto.  "  I  have  heard  of  an  African  negro 
worshipping  a  porous  plaster." 

"  Aunt  Cynthia  Ann  does  that,"  said  Fitz.  "  She  buys 
them  by  wholesale,  and  gives  them  to  the  tramps." 

"  She  might  do  worse,"  laughingly  answered  the  doctor. 

He  then  told  the  Aino  how  to  take  care  of  himself,  and, 
rejoining  his  party,  started  for  Yesashi. 

They  staid  on  shore  two  days,  and  would  have  remained 
longer,  had  not  Capt.  Imadate  notified  them  that  a  change 
was  about  to  take  place  in  the  weather,  and  they  had  better 
re-embark;  upon  learning  which,  they  bade  adieu  to  Mr. 
Kanaya,  and  returned  to  the  man-of-war. 

On  their  way  down  the  coast  they  touched  at  Yuhito, 
Awashiri,  Shiritoya,  and  Nemoro,  then  started  for  Hakodate, 
at  which  port  they  arrived  on  the  ist  of  November. 

It  was  quite  delightful  to  receive  a  budget  of  letters  from 
home,  and  to  be  in  a  place  where  they  could  sit  on  chairs,  and 
enjoy  the  society  of  old  friends. 


296  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

"  Children,"  said  the  Professor,  who  had  been  perusing  a 
communication  from  Tokio,  "  I  have  some  news  for  you.  The 
Japanese  Government  has  kindly  consented  to  my  going  home 
by  the  next  steamer,  which  leaves  Yokohama  on  the  15th 
of  this  month.  You  must  have  all  your  treasures  packed  and 
on  board  Capt.  Imadate's  ship  in  twenty-four  hours,  as  he 
leaves  for  the  South  to-morrow  evening." 

"  Oh  !  am  I  not  glad  ? "  said  Sallie.  "  How  I  do  long  to  see 
old  Cromlech  !  " 

"And  I,"  said  her  parents  and  brothers.  The  news  from 
their  native  place  had  made  them  all  homesick,  and  even  the 
Yezo  roses  had  no  charm  for  them. 

Setta-eye  had  kept  his  word,  and  had  sent  on  the  skins  of 
the  bears  they  had  killed,  and  many  other  furs,  with  a  large 
number  of  Aino  productions,  such  as  bows  and  arrows, 
Unako,  etc. 

As  the  party  was  about  to  embark,  they  heard  a  cry,  and 
saw  Habo,  who  was  carrying  something  like  a  child  on  her 
back,  and  shouting  in  Japanese,  — 

"  Tomare,  to7nare  ./"  (Stop,  stop  !) 

She  did  not  wait  until  the  boat  backed  in,  but  waded  out  to 
it,  and,  depositing  her  burden,  saluted  them  in  her  graceful 
fashion,  saying,  — 

"  Sarmnba,  saramba  .^"  (Farewell !) 

Fitz,  for  whom  the  present  was  intended,  unfastened  the 
bundle,  then,  as  he  glanced  at  its  living  contents,  excitedly 
exclaimed,  — 

"  'Rah!     If  it  isn't  a  bear!" 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  297 


CHAPTER   XVII. 

HOMEWARD    BOUND. 

"  No  iiiaiter  how  beautiful  the  scenery  or  how  hospitable  may  be  the  people  of  a 
foreign  land,  the  traveller  forgets  all  these  things,  when,  after  a  long  absence,  he 
beholds  the  shore  of  his  native  country.^'' 

CAPT.  IMADATE  kept  his  word,  and  landed  them  at 
Yokohama  within  the  time  he  had  promised.  They  bade 
him  good-by  with  great  regret ;  he  having  been  most  kind, 
patient,  and  courteous  to  them  all. 

They  found  their  servants  awaiting  them  on  the  hatoba,  and 
were  greeted  as  though  they  had  just  returned  from  a  land 
inhabited  by  cannibals. 

The  Jewetts  visited  their  friends  on  the  bluff,  then  took  the 
first  train  for  Tokio,  and  that  night  slept  in  their  old  residence 
in  the  Kaga  Yashiki. 

The  next  week  was  devoted  to  farewell  calls ;  and,  but  for 
the  prospect  before  them,  the  young  people  would  have  felt 
sorry  that  their  sojourn  in  the  Land  of  the  Rising  Sun  had 
drawn  to  a  close. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nambo,  and  Oto,  spent  the  greater  portion  of 
the  time  with  them  ;  the  dear  old  lady  being  much  grieved  at 
the  thought  of  their  approaching  separation. 

"  I  know  she  feels  badly  because  she  has  not  converted 
Sallie  to  Buddhism,"  said  Fitz.  "  She  is  a  sweet  soul,  and 
really  believes  what  she  preaches," 

On  the  morning  of  their  departure  Oto's  mother  announced 


298  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

that  she  had  had  a  dream,  and  that  she  was  certain  her  friends 
would  arrive  home  in  safety,  and  enjoy  long  and  prosperous  lives. 

"  I  had  just  fallen  asleep,"  she  said,  "  when  I  saw  the  gods 
of  luck  assembled  in  consultation.  All  the  seven  were  present, 
—  Dai-koku  Sama  with  his  hammer,  Bishamon  Sama  in  full 
armor,  Hotei  Sama  with  his  beautiful  fat  form,  Juiro  Sama 
with  his  wise  face,  Benten  Sama  lovely  and  radiant,  Yebisu 
Sama  looking  just  as  he  does  when  he  is  about  to  land  a  big 
fish,  and  the  venerable  and  benevolent  Fuku-roku-jin  Sama, 
with  his  staff,  and  with  the  stork  of  longevity  standing  on  his 
honorable  left  hand.  Something  was  evidently  pleasing  the 
gods,  for  they  were  all  laughing  very  merrily.  Hotei  Sama, 
being  president,  was  the  first  to  speak ;  and  he  said,  — 

"  '  Usually  w'e  do  not  concern  ourselves  with  the  doings  of 
foreigners,  who,  I  regret  to  say,  have,  with  some  honorable 
exceptions,  treated  us  very  disrespectfully.' 

" '  Yes,'  said  Bishamon  Sama :  '  they  have  induced  our 
faithful  people  to  discard  the  ancient  armor  and  art  of  warfare, 
to  put  on  tight  kimono'''  (clothes),  "'and  to  use  weapons 
unknown  to  their  honorable  ancestors.' 

" '  They  have  been  wise  to  do  that,'  said  Fuku-roku-jin 
Sama.     '  You  must  fight  demons  with  their  own  w-eapons.' 

"  '  I  agree  with  you,'  said  Dai-koku  Sama.  '  Formerly  I 
used  to  tell  my  believers,  "  If  you  wish  to  have  rice  in  your 
storehouse,  and  money  in  your  purse,  you  must  labor  for  it 
as  a  miner  does  with  his  hammer."  Now  I  advise  them  to 
use  steam,  electricity,  or  any  other  invention  that  will  keep 
them  among  the  front  rank  of  nations.' 

"'And  I,'  said  Juiro  Sama,  who  w^as  leaning  with  his  face 
upon  his  hands,  '  give  them  the  same  counsel.  What  do  you 
say,  Yebisu  Sama  ? ' 


300  THE  BEAR-IVORSIIIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

"The  god  chuckled,  then  repHed, — 

"  '  I  always  tell  them,  "  If  you  cannot  catch  a  fish  with  a 
hook,  use  a  spear."     Is  that  rii^-ht,  Benten  Sama?' 

"The  female  god  cast  a  languishing  glance  at  her  interro- 
gator, then,  bowing,  answered, — 

"  '  I  must  confess  that  I  admire  the  foreigners.  Although, 
as  Hotei  Sama  has  observed,  they  are  not  quite  as  respectful  as 
he  would  like  them  to  be,  still  they  possess  many  virtues, 
among  them  being  the  esteem  in  which  they  hold  my  sex.' 

"  '  We  know  all  about  that,  Benten  Sama,'  slyly  retorted  the 
president.  '  What  I  particularly  wish  to  refer  to  is  this.  Some 
Americans,  who  have  lived  for  several  years  in  our  country, 
learned  our  language,  and  studied  our  literature,  and  have 
travelled,  not  only  through  the  heart  of  Dai  NIhon,  but  also  in 
Yezo,  and  the  distant  island  of  Karafuto,  are  about  to  return 
to  their  native  land.  I  therefore  propose  that  we  present  them 
with  a  proof  of  our  interest  in  and  friendship  for  them.  What 
form  shall  it  take  ? ' 

"  Juiro  Sama  produced  a  kakemono,  the  silk  panel  of  which 
had  never  been  touched  with  ink,  and,  handing  it  to  Hotei 
Sama,  said,  — 

"'There  is  one  wish  that  is  always  appropriate,  and  is 
understood  by  the  people  of  all  nations.  Let  Dai-koku  Sama 
inscribe  it  upon  the  kakemono / ' 

"  '  Hai  ! '  "  (Yes)  "  cried  the  gods.     '  Hai-hai-hai  !  ' 

"  Dai-koku  Sama  called  for  an  ink-stone  and  a  brush,  and, 
dipping  the  latter  in  the  liquid,  wrote  the  character  '  Kotobuki''' 
(literally,  "I  hope  you  will  enjoy  long  life  and  happiness"). 
"  When  he  had  made  the  last  stroke,  he  held  the  brush  towards 
Hotei-Sama,  saying,  — 

"  '  Have  you  any  thing  to  add  to  that  ? ' 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  301 

"  The  god  laughed  until  his  whole  body  quivered,  then  he 
replied,  — 

"  '  Nothing,  Sama.     Your  writing  is  as  perfect  as  the  wish.'  " 

Mrs.  Nambo,  bowing,  added,  — 

"  After  that  I  awoke." 

"We  are  exceedingly  obliged  to  you,  dear  friend,"  said 
Mrs.  Jewett.  "  What  more  could  we  desire  than  the  blessing 
written  upon  the  kakhnono  you  saw  in  your  dream?  If  we  all 
enjoy  that,  w^e  shall  indeed  be  fortunate.  May  you  also  have 
like  happiness !  " 

The  old  lady  sank  upon  her  knees,  placed  the  palms  of  her 
hands  upon  the  mats,  and,  having  performed  the  respectful 
salutation,  murmured,  — 

"  I  am  entirely  unworthy  of  such  a  compliment." 

"  Come  along,  mother,"  shouted  Fitz  from  the  veranda. 
"  Our  jin-riki-sha  are  at  the  door.  I  have  got  my  bear  in 
mine.  Sallie's  pugs  are  in  hers.  Johnnie  has  a  box  of  books, 
and  some  old  raku  bowls  ;  and  father  is  hidden  from  sight  in 
manuscripts.  Please  hurry  up  !  Our  men  are  going  to  race 
to  the  Shimbashi  station.  Mind  you  hold  on  tight  when  they 
turn  the  corners." 

"  Old  Choso  will  not  go  too  fast  with  me,"  replied  his 
parent,  as  she  quitted  the  house ;  adding,  when  she  turned  to 
take  a  last  glance  at  her  servants,  who  were  kneeling  in  the 
veranda,  ''  Sdionm'a,  Sa'ionaraf"  (Farewell.) 

"  Sdiofiara  !''  sadly  chorused  the  domestics. 

The  nm  down  to  the  railway-station  was  accomplished 
quickly ;  the  only  detentions  being  caused  by  the  Professor, 
who,  several  times,  insisted  upon  alighting  from  his  vehicle,  and 
performing  the  modern  Japanese  salutation  to  some  official. 

"  I  am  sure  we  are  late,  pa,"  said  Mrs,  Jewett.     "  I   do   not 


302  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

see  the  good  of  your  bobbing  and  scraping  in  that  way.  You 
are  not  a  Japanese." 

"  It  pleases  them,  my  dear,"  he  replied.  "  Remember  that  I 
am  going  to  lecture  upon  the  manners  and  customs  of  these 
people,  and  I  must  practise  their  bow  in  order  to  create  a  sen- 
sation when  I  make  my  appearance  on  the  platform." 

Oto  and  a  ereat  crowd  of  friends  were  waitino^  to.  accom- 
pany  them  to  the  port ;  and,  when  the  train  glided  from  the 
Shimbashi  platform,  they  were  loudly  cheered. 

The  journey  occupied  about  forty  minutes ;  and  at  Yoko- 
hama they  were  met  by  other  friends,  who  saw  the  travellers 
down  to  the  hatoba,  and  on  board  the  "  City  of  Peking,"  where 
they  w^ere  welcomed  by  genial  Capt.  Friel,  who  said,  — 

"  You  are  just  in  time  !  In  another  moment  I  should  have 
been  compelled  to  start  without  you." 

Then  came  hand-shakings,  and  sdionara  on  the  part  of 
native  and  foreign  friends,  the  shrill  blast  of  the  steam-whistle, 
and  a  perceptible  motion  of  the  vessel ;  Oto  being  the  last  to 
grasp  their  hands. 

"  Sdionara','  he  murmured,  "  0  genkini  shetai  oide  nasai!' 
("  Farewell !     Continue  in  good  health.") 

The  sun  was  setting  as  the  ship  steamed  down  the  Bay  of 
Yedo.  When  the  travellers  caught  the  last  glimpse  of  glorious 
Fuji-yama,  Sallie  exclaimed, — 

"  Good-by,  Fuji  San.  We  have  seen  lots  of  mountains,  but 
none  as  beautiful  and  majestic  as  you  are.  May  you  long  be 
beheld  and  worshipped  from  the  thirteen  provinces !  " 

"  Yes,"  added  Fitz.  "  It  would  be  a  very  sad  thing  if  Fuji 
were  to  disappear  some  night,  just  as  it  appeared,  all  in  a  hurry, 
'  a  many  years  ago.'  I  have  only  one  regret  in  leaving  Japan  : 
that  is,  we  have  not  ascended  Fuji's  sacred  cone." 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  303 

"  I  am  not  sorry,"  said  Johnnie,  in  a  musing  tone.  "  I  did 
quite  enough  Alpine-chib  business  in  Yezo." 

Mrs.  Jewett  and  the  Professor  stood  together ;  abaft  and  the 
former  said,  — 

"  I  am  thankful  that  we  are  really  homeward  bound.  Of 
what  are  you  thinking,  husband  ? " 

"  Of  a  title  for  my  first  lecture,"  he  replied.  "  I  fear  that 
the  sweet,  do-nothing  life  we  have  been  leading  in  Japan  will 
have  unfitted  me  for  the  worry  and  excitement  at  home." 

They  had  fine  weather  all  the  way  across,  and  reached  the 
Golden  Gate  exactly  seventeen  days  from  the  time  of  quitting 
Yokohama. 

The  Jewetts  remained  a  few  hours  in  San  Francisco,  then 
started  across  the  continent ;  and  after  a  week  on  board  the 
cars  were  landed  at  the  Cromlech  depot,  where  they  were 
regarded  with  profound  interest  by  the  loungers,  whose  chief 
occupation  was  to  see  the  trains  arrive  and  depart. 

"  We-11,  I  wa-ant  to  know,"  drawled  one  long  specimen, 
saluting  the  boys  with  a  jerk  of  the  head.  "  Is  that  a  bar 
you've  got  there,  Fitz  Jewett  ?  War  hev  yer  bin  tew,  all  these 
years  ? " 

The  boy  did  not  reply,  being  too  intent  upon  seeing  his 
prize  stowed  in  the  express-wagon. 

They  entered  their  carriage,  and  drove  along  the  well- 
remembered  road,  stopping  every  now  and  then  to  greet  old 
friends,  who  had  a  hundred  questions  to  ask  in  a  minute. 

At  last  they  ascended  the  crest  of  the  hill,  and  beheld  their 
home.  In  a  brief  space  the  Jewetts  were  once  more  under 
their  own  roof,  and  feeling  as  though  they  never  wished  to 
leave  it  again. 


304  THE  BEAR-WORSHIPPERS   OF   YEZO. 

The  boys  are  now  at  college,  and  Habo's  gift  is  the  terror 
and  admiration  of  all  who  visit  Cromlech.  There  is  some  talk 
of  sending  the  animal  to  the  Central-Park  menagerie ;  but 
whenever  the  question  is  mooted,  Fitz  always  interposes  the 
plea, — 

"I  do  not  believe  the  poor  little  fellow  would  be  happy 
if  he  could  not  see  some  of  us ;  and  remember,  sir,  he  is 
the  only  living  link  between  us  and  our  old  friends,  '  The 
Bear- Worshippers  of  Yezo.'  " 


I 


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